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The Sun Reaper's Curse
The Kunagian Empire has languished under a curse for five long years, rendering their women, their soil, and their creatures infertile. The pressing question Who wrought this curse upon them, and to what end? All that remains clear is the imminent specter of war looming over the realm. As the Empire teeters on the brink of collapse, desperation forces them to raid neighboring territories, pillaging villages and abducting women and children in a frantic bid for survival. Amidst this turmoil, allies are scarce, and aid is nowhere to be found.
Irys Farwynd, a clever huntress with a knack for survival, cloaks herself in secrecy, haunted by the shadows of her own dark past. But she cannot remain hidden indefinitely—not with the weight of her lineage, not when the legacy of a fading dynasty courses through her veins. She stands as the last sorceress of the realm, the final ember of a dying fire, and soon the world will echo with her name. Only she holds the power to break the empire's curse, to breathe life back into the rival nation.
Summoned to the capital of her kingdom by the royal family, she becomes a pawn in their game of power. Entrusted with the task of mastering her magic to preserve a precarious peace, Irys must navigate her abilities and learn control. With claws on one side and thorns on the other, Irys finds herself entangled in the unfolding conflict, unsure where her true allegiance lies.
This is a tale of love, betrayal, duty, and vengeance.
Irys Farwynd, a clever huntress with a knack for survival, cloaks herself in secrecy, haunted by the shadows of her own dark past. But she cannot remain hidden indefinitely—not with the weight of her lineage, not when the legacy of a fading dynasty courses through her veins. She stands as the last sorceress of the realm, the final ember of a dying fire, and soon the world will echo with her name. Only she holds the power to break the empire's curse, to breathe life back into the rival nation.
Summoned to the capital of her kingdom by the royal family, she becomes a pawn in their game of power. Entrusted with the task of mastering her magic to preserve a precarious peace, Irys must navigate her abilities and learn control. With claws on one side and thorns on the other, Irys finds herself entangled in the unfolding conflict, unsure where her true allegiance lies.
This is a tale of love, betrayal, duty, and vengeance.
316 pages, Paperback
Published April 18, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 13, 2024
Trying to find the words to describe this book.. and one really stuck out was MESSY, but in the best way!! To sum it up we have: 1. Love triangles, 2. lovers to enemies to lovers, 3. enemies to lovers to enemies, 4. betrayal. So. Much. Betrayal. My jaw dropped to literal hell several times throughout the book. I still have about a million questions.. I need the second book immediately 👏🏼
November 10, 2024
absolutely yes
June 3, 2024
I'm stunned, shocked, distraught...THIS WAS A ROLLER FKN COASTER and I have yet to recover.
*SPOILERS AHEAD
1. The story
It has honestly been a while since I've read a "romantasy" book with such a dense/complex plot, but in the best way possible. You get in this book, intricate family dynamics, political intrigue, gut-wrenching romance, well written magical history, and BETRAYAL. Like King Rupert calls it: it's all a "twisted dance of betrayal." In fact, no character is without flaws, they all carry a moral greyness, and personal ambitions that lead them to do the things they do. This plot heavily relies on us believing in these characters, therefore making the betrayals even more shattering.
The magical system is simple, yet interesting. Everything derives from the Gods, making the sorcerers the bearers of their blood and the spells their "prayers." It's unique, believable, and, honestly, it works (kind of similar to d&d sorcerers I come to realize). I'm still hopeful that this system will expand in the second book. There is discussion about balance and the dangers of disrupting this equilibrium, but we only see it with Dragomir losing his powers. In fact, the prophecy itself needs further development. I can't wait to see where that will lead us...
2. The characters
Let's start with Irys Farwynd, the "Last Sorceress" or the "Child of Fate." Irys begins as nothing, filled with fear, anger, and hatred, having lost all hope. Throughout the book, we witness her growth as she gains power, confidence, and AMBITION. Yes, Irys is ambitious. She manages to disguise it behind a facade of moral virtue, as Jasper notes, but her actions make it very clear. However, with these qualities, she also becomes increasingly angry and hateful as more people deceive her. This development concerns me, especially at the end of the book. I think she makes an incredibly powerful MC, in every sense of the term, and I can't wait to see where her journey takes us in the second book. When it comes to her love interests, I'm perplexed. Truly. I'm not yet sure who she belongs with, but I suppose that's why it's such a great love triangle.
Rryn, omfg. I have no words. I think his character managed to surprise and touch me the most. We see him grow throughout the book from an arrogant boy who doesn't care much for his title into a man driven by duty, willing to risk anything to uphold his honor and that of his nation. Ryn has always been the "golden boy," but after Gilded Pride, you understand that everything changes. He no longer sees life as he once did and now has a thirst for retribution. I won't even get started on his relationship with Jasper... I was floored.
Jasper, my baby... We didn't see as much of him as I wanted, but every single glimpse was truly painful. Jasper is like a battered dog—mistreated by everyone and betrayed by most, despite always offering his loyalty. He copes with this through his cruel games. Because don't get me wrong, this guy is messed up. In my opinion, his obsession with Irys reflects his own failures, and his friendship with Ryn is at the root of everything that unfolded. This, in turn, intertwines every character in the book within incredibly complex dynamics.
3. The writing
Beautiful prose and interesting analogies. I loved every instance where Jasper was compared to the raven; he seemed to lose his traits the deeper you got into the book. Meanwhile, Ryn blossomed into the true rose he was always meant to be. Although this is adult fantasy, it sometimes reads like YA, as we are, after all, following such young characters. The further we go, the more the writing matures, reflecting the characters' loss of innocence. I tuly enjoyed it.
4. The romance
These guys broke me. "I wish things were different" YES RYN, I DO TOO. Full of longing, of pain, of guilt, of anger...This was MESSY. It definitely doesn't read like a typical romantasy, so don't expect your usual three-act romance. These characters will do everything, but what you expect. As I mentioned earlier, I'm still unsure who to root for. They both have their qualities and their horrible flaws. So, yeah, I'm stuck. I guess I'll have to wait for the next book lol.
Ok pardon my yapping. I'm done.
*SPOILERS AHEAD
1. The story
It has honestly been a while since I've read a "romantasy" book with such a dense/complex plot, but in the best way possible. You get in this book, intricate family dynamics, political intrigue, gut-wrenching romance, well written magical history, and BETRAYAL. Like King Rupert calls it: it's all a "twisted dance of betrayal." In fact, no character is without flaws, they all carry a moral greyness, and personal ambitions that lead them to do the things they do. This plot heavily relies on us believing in these characters, therefore making the betrayals even more shattering.
The magical system is simple, yet interesting. Everything derives from the Gods, making the sorcerers the bearers of their blood and the spells their "prayers." It's unique, believable, and, honestly, it works (kind of similar to d&d sorcerers I come to realize). I'm still hopeful that this system will expand in the second book. There is discussion about balance and the dangers of disrupting this equilibrium, but we only see it with Dragomir losing his powers. In fact, the prophecy itself needs further development. I can't wait to see where that will lead us...
2. The characters
Let's start with Irys Farwynd, the "Last Sorceress" or the "Child of Fate." Irys begins as nothing, filled with fear, anger, and hatred, having lost all hope. Throughout the book, we witness her growth as she gains power, confidence, and AMBITION. Yes, Irys is ambitious. She manages to disguise it behind a facade of moral virtue, as Jasper notes, but her actions make it very clear. However, with these qualities, she also becomes increasingly angry and hateful as more people deceive her. This development concerns me, especially at the end of the book. I think she makes an incredibly powerful MC, in every sense of the term, and I can't wait to see where her journey takes us in the second book. When it comes to her love interests, I'm perplexed. Truly. I'm not yet sure who she belongs with, but I suppose that's why it's such a great love triangle.
Rryn, omfg. I have no words. I think his character managed to surprise and touch me the most. We see him grow throughout the book from an arrogant boy who doesn't care much for his title into a man driven by duty, willing to risk anything to uphold his honor and that of his nation. Ryn has always been the "golden boy," but after Gilded Pride, you understand that everything changes. He no longer sees life as he once did and now has a thirst for retribution. I won't even get started on his relationship with Jasper... I was floored.
Jasper, my baby... We didn't see as much of him as I wanted, but every single glimpse was truly painful. Jasper is like a battered dog—mistreated by everyone and betrayed by most, despite always offering his loyalty. He copes with this through his cruel games. Because don't get me wrong, this guy is messed up. In my opinion, his obsession with Irys reflects his own failures, and his friendship with Ryn is at the root of everything that unfolded. This, in turn, intertwines every character in the book within incredibly complex dynamics.
3. The writing
Beautiful prose and interesting analogies. I loved every instance where Jasper was compared to the raven; he seemed to lose his traits the deeper you got into the book. Meanwhile, Ryn blossomed into the true rose he was always meant to be. Although this is adult fantasy, it sometimes reads like YA, as we are, after all, following such young characters. The further we go, the more the writing matures, reflecting the characters' loss of innocence. I tuly enjoyed it.
4. The romance
These guys broke me. "I wish things were different" YES RYN, I DO TOO. Full of longing, of pain, of guilt, of anger...This was MESSY. It definitely doesn't read like a typical romantasy, so don't expect your usual three-act romance. These characters will do everything, but what you expect. As I mentioned earlier, I'm still unsure who to root for. They both have their qualities and their horrible flaws. So, yeah, I'm stuck. I guess I'll have to wait for the next book lol.
Ok pardon my yapping. I'm done.
February 19, 2025
Plot 3.75/5
Characters 4/5
Ending 4/5
Interest 4/5
Overall 3.75/5
-To be honest, u hadn’t known this book was independently published until after I picked it up. And it really held up well. The plot line with the chosen one being a magical sorceress was very intriguing. I would have liked to see more on the magic itself and the past sorcerers but seeing her in action was still great. The enemy kingdoms almost at war, the alliances trying to be formed and n’others not so much, I truly had a really good time reading this book. It was short and sweet. Easy to get through and I was hooked, I do find that the world could have been flushed out a little more, but perhaps in future books.
-The characters were fun. I wasn’t too sure where the romance was truly headed and I’m still not quite sure by the ending. It’s a sort of love triangle between two enemy princes which is definitely exiting but I have no idea who I’m supposed to be rooting for (although one is technically engaged). The characters themselves were great. I would have loved to see more of their respective backstories and pasts and how they all came to be linked in some way.
-The ending does leave me questioning certain things. I’m not sure where the sequel is at right now but I just know that I really want to pick it up once it’s been released. The premise of the whole thing is really intriguing and the ending leaves so much to be desired tat I just need a little something to satisfy me right now.
Characters 4/5
Ending 4/5
Interest 4/5
Overall 3.75/5
-To be honest, u hadn’t known this book was independently published until after I picked it up. And it really held up well. The plot line with the chosen one being a magical sorceress was very intriguing. I would have liked to see more on the magic itself and the past sorcerers but seeing her in action was still great. The enemy kingdoms almost at war, the alliances trying to be formed and n’others not so much, I truly had a really good time reading this book. It was short and sweet. Easy to get through and I was hooked, I do find that the world could have been flushed out a little more, but perhaps in future books.
-The characters were fun. I wasn’t too sure where the romance was truly headed and I’m still not quite sure by the ending. It’s a sort of love triangle between two enemy princes which is definitely exiting but I have no idea who I’m supposed to be rooting for (although one is technically engaged). The characters themselves were great. I would have loved to see more of their respective backstories and pasts and how they all came to be linked in some way.
-The ending does leave me questioning certain things. I’m not sure where the sequel is at right now but I just know that I really want to pick it up once it’s been released. The premise of the whole thing is really intriguing and the ending leaves so much to be desired tat I just need a little something to satisfy me right now.
June 4, 2024
I read this book in less than a day and I am absolutely obsessed, it is beautifully written, does anyone know if there is going to be a book 2?
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THE AUTHOR HAS ANY INSTAGRAM,FACEBOOK OR ANY TYPE OF SOCIAL ACCOUNT ?
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THE AUTHOR HAS ANY INSTAGRAM,FACEBOOK OR ANY TYPE OF SOCIAL ACCOUNT ?
December 21, 2024
been so long since i read this book and i can’t even remember the plot but what i do remember is being disappointed ! i think it’s because it was so short and i needed more in the first one to make me feel devoted to this series. I will be reading the next book when it comes out.
June 5, 2024
Genuinely so good and well written. I'm at loss for words.
June 15, 2024
I need the second book NOW
October 12, 2024
Severely underrated
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews