"No longer decided, no longer true, the tides of destiny wash you, through and through."
Will Cosima seize her chance at untangling her destiny?
It has been nearly fifty years since Queen Cosima Aphelion became captive in her own kingdom, the Aeria Archipelago, where the three sky-bound islands sit miles above the surface of planet Haelos. With powers of fate and time manipulation, she seeks one end goal: to free herself and her kingdom from its toxic captor, her husband. Aurelio's manipulative control over her and her magic leaves lasting impressions on their world, and Cosima's sanity. The King's destructive ways have tormented her for decades, leaving her a shell of who she once was.
The Ambrosi, immortal beings, and Rani, powerful winged guardians, exist to care for the world, and all its inhabitants, but their protection falters beneath Aurelio’s rule, leaving clans of vampires, shifters, and witches to ban together and protect their planet alone.
The threat to their world becomes more than Cosima can ignore, and with a leap of faith, she embarks on a life-changing journey toward freedom. With angels, immortals, mysterious crystals, and otherworldly beasts, Fate’s Tether follows Cosima’s fight for redemption, reclamation of her power, and revenge. She pushes herself to new heights—and new lows—in this beautiful tale of survivorship and growth.
Jade Nioma is a Korean-American debut-author from the US, where she lives with her husband and two boys. Jade has prior career experience in the behavioral health field where she worked for many years before pursuing her life long dream of becoming an author.
When Jade isn’t writing, you’ll likely find her curled up with a book, journaling, or playing video games with her family.
Close to Jade’s heart is domestic violence awareness and mental health representation, especially after her own struggles with both. Jade hopes her writing will inspire others, and show those who are struggling that their story is not over.
⭐️(4.8-5) I was extremely lucky to get on the ARC team for this book, it was my first ever ARC read and I am so thankful to Jade for trusting me with reading and reviewing her debut novel. Especially one that has such deep personal meaning to her. Jade did an amazing job of representing domestic violence, abuse, mental illness and trauma while doing it in a delicate manner and showing that your story isn’t over just because you’re a survivor. I loved the strong, bad ass FMC and the caring, gentle and patient MMC. All of the side characters and friendships were also chefs kiss. I need more of this story and these characters!
4.75⭐️ - I had the absolute pleasure of being on the ARC Team for Fate's Tether, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to read and review this beautifully written debut novel. An epic fantasy adventure with such intricate world building and a fun & unique magic system. Oh, and did I mention the angels, immortals, shifters, magical creatures, & sloooooow burn romance?
This story follows Cosima, who is probably one of the strongest FMCs I've read. She is so incredibly fierce and inspiring to follow as she fights back to reclaim her power and her kingdom. COsima's journey is emotional, but so empowering. Jade does an incredible job of bringing awareness and representation to topics such as DV, mental health, and healing. Please make sure to check your trigger warnings before diving in.
This story is just so epic and the plot takes you on a wild ride. I was completely surprised by some of the twists and the ending had me wanting more, more, & more!
Jade does an incredible job of writing about abuse and finding your own strength in the places you would least expect. The world building in this is incredible, I really enjoyed the magic system and the way everything tied together.
I loved Sima so much, she was such an incredible character with realistic reactions to everything. I can’t wait for the next book!
What an absolutely astounding debut novel. I was immediately hooked by the characters and wanting to see Cosima flourish, and the story not only delivered the satisfying ending she deserved, it did so much more. For anyone who has ever been trapped by someone or something and needs to feel the vindication of someone escaping the same hell and destroying the source, this book is for you. For anyone who wants a deep, well thought out story with incredible world building, this book is for you. Even if you just want to escape to a beautiful fantasy world with incredible characters, this book is for you. I can't recommend it enough.
What a solid debut dark fantasy! I am blown away by Jade’s debut novel and how beautiful the writing is. I loved the dark, tough topics in this book and Sima’s journey through it all. Check your TW!
Was such a good book for a first time indie author ❤️ handled with so much care when it came to sensitive subject. Cannot wait to read more from her! ❤️
This was read as an arc: This debut novel by Jade has been one I’ve been waiting patiently for 😉. Cosima’s journey was one of pain, endurance, strength, and trust in herself to rise above the awful circumstances she was put in.
Reading and seeing her grow and evolve just—wow. This book covers a sensitive subject in such a way that doesn’t bury you in darkness but shows that light that can be reached. I sincerely appreciate this approach and can feel the passion of each emotion.
I am so proud of Sima…and rooting for her and our winged friend 😉 I NEED this on my bookshelf so I am counting down the days to its official release!
It’s crazy that this is her first book. Her writing is amazing, she does such a great job of transporting you into the fantastical world she’s built. Truly a 5 star read! I can’t wait for more books from her 🖤
What an incredible debut novel! I've been looking for a fantasy book that actually has a strong FMC, and Sima is exactly that. I loved the magic system, the side characters, and of course the cinnamon roll love interest. Excited to read more from this author in the future!
This story comforted and healed pieces of my soul.
“What do you dream of? A love that doesn’t hurt.”
“He held her, not as if he was afraid - instead, as if he was never more sure.”
“The silence of a man can be the greatest gift.”
I had the honor of being an ARC reader for Fate’s Tether. I loved this book. The world building; the magic system; the strong FMC and fiercely protective and caring MMC; the slow burn; and the Zelda and The Last of Us inspiration.
I was not ready for this book to end. I so appreciate the way DV and mental health representation was included. Highly recommend you read this after checking the trigger warnings.
The debut of an Epic fantasy adventure series, weaving fate and destiny. A corrupt, abusive and evil King, a strong willed queen trying to find freedom and heal, and a caring and understanding love interest. This has some heavy descriptions and worldbuilding surrounding the gods, immortals and magic, but it's a compelling journey of survival, endurance and resilience.
4.5/5 stars A much-needed refreshing take on modern fantasy
In recent years, it seems as though the literary world has been over-saturated by the “Romantasy” genre, the blending of romance and fantasy, with oftentimes a more-than-generous amount of adult content. While a number of great titles have come out of this new wave (i.e. “A Court of Mist and Fury,” one of my favorite reads of 2024), it has quickly become stale and forgettable, with most titles either failing to stand out or being brain-dead guilty pleasures (i.e. “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame”). But a new title is about to come out that brings fresh and interesting life into the genre while being an incredibly important read. “Fate’s Tether” is the first book in a new series by debut author Jade Nioma, about a Queen, Cosima Aphelion, who has mystical powers capable of manipulating “threads of fate,” and must learn to control them in order to fight back against an evil king from another world who has usurped the throne and subjected her to a life of abuse. Guiding her on this journey is a fae-type being leading an underground rebellion against the King, with the goal of putting Cosmia back in a place of true power. From the very beginning, two things stand out: the world-building, and the sensitive character dynamics. The narrative holds nothing back when discussing the abuse our protagonist suffers under her husband. At its core, “Fate’s Tether” is a story about domestic abuse, and finding the strength to escape those relationships and overcome them. It dives deep into the psychology of both parties, without ever using the dynamic as shock value for entertaining purposes. The scene and discussions of abuse are handled in very delicate ways, very respectful to real-world survivors of such relationships. In this regard, it can be a very emotionally distressing read at times, but I commend Nioma for her commitment to sharing these very real experiences. Now, even as it covers this topic, it is still an optimistic book and filled with uplifting moments, and plenty of excitement. Nioma takes full advantage of the fantasy world she has created. One of my biggest critiques of the genre, is it feels like 90% of the time, I open up a new book and there is a generic picture of an island broken up into generic territories, all with the same faerie races and political dynamics. This world is a far cry from generic fantasy. With just one word in the first chapter, calling the setting a “planet,” the audience is alerted that the journey we are about to step into is way further reaching than anything else coming out today. The lore created gives us tastes of far-reaching worlds, even universes, in ways I haven’t read anything similar to since Stephen King’s “Dark Tower” universe. And thankfully, it doesn’t fall into the same trap other ambitious creators fall into with grandiose lore creation. It’s my firm belief that the larger a world gets, the smaller it feels. Writers feel a need to explain every nook and cranny to flesh out their creation. Nioma is careful not to do this. The lore presented is extensive to say the least, but every time we learn something new, it feels like there are a dozen more things on the topic to explore that we’re only being teased with. Unfortunately, these moments of world-building also contribute to one of the book’s very few pitfalls. Nioma has accepted the daunting task of having the reader follow characters already aware of the world and basic lore. Because of this, much of the lore is revealed to the reader through dialogue that follows the “as you know…” formula. It’s a dialogue choice that feels very unnatural and clunky when characters are being told stuff they already know, and makes it obvious that it’s not really for the character, but the reader. I love diving into this world, but at the same time, I’m being taken out of the moment. Without spoiling it, the ending opens up a sequel that is surely to do away with this issue because of how it will be structured. And I’ll say this, the ending definitely left me wanting more! I highly recommend this title to fans of romance, fantasy, and even a little bit of science fiction. Jade Nioma is sure to be an author who bursts onto the literary scene with this book and continue to impress readers. “Fate’s Tether” is self-published and will be available August 21st through Amazon and at Barnes & Noble. Nioma has pledged that $1 for every sale will be donated to the non-profit organization “Ctrl Alt Del,” to help domestic violence survivors flee abusive relationships.
I loved the world and characters the author created. It was very much a high fantasy book, filled with found family, angels, horrific beasts, and a beautiful- yet ominous crystal kingdom.
The FMC Cosima is strong-willed and empowering, and her story is one of healing. I appreciated that Cosima's power had limits, rather than the usual strong elemental magic, overpowered blasts, or super strength.
Aurelio, the king and captor - is such a great power hungry villan. I was immediately reminded of Homelander from The Boys (I think I only watched up to S3). Imagine Homelander with wings and less love for milk.
Enzo, I absolutely adored. I love that although he is ride or die from the very beginning- he doesn't rush Cosima. He understands what she's been through, and respects that throughout the book. Also damn, can this man cook some delicous sounding meals. Never have I craved Korean food more. I no joke bought a 2kg tub of kimchi while I was reading this book, and it's been my reading snack hahaha
As much as I enjoyed the beautiful world building Jade had created, it did feel like we were trying to learn too much, too fast, with a whole list of locations, and a few with multiple names- thankfully there was an indepth glossary and pronounciation guide included. I felt a similar way while reading Crescent City, and I'm hoping now that a lot of the worldbuilding has been discussed, the second book in this series will be more localised.
There is whole list of content warnings for this book, and I definitely recommend checking them before jumping in (You can find them on the author's website). If you are someone who is squeamish, there is a lot of blood and gore in this story.
I'm really excited to see where this series goes. I feel like we've only just learnt a very small part of Cosima's backstory.
Thank you Jade for the ARC, and the opportunity to review your debut novel 🩵
This is the first in a fantasy series where we follow a strong and magical female lead character while she navigates her way through finding out who she truly is after being ab*sed and held captive for 50 years. She is scared for the future of her world and her loved ones, so she takes things into her own hands to attempt to end the leadership of a tyrant who would rather millions die than see himself usurped. Sima is such a realistic, humble character. I never felt like she had a super ego like some lead female characters can be portrayed with. I loved seeing her overcome her struggles and gain her confidence. The characters were all diverse, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for them. This book has tons of world building, politics, and action. There are even some pretty vi*lent scenes of de*th leaning on written like body horror which I LOVED. We even get a beautiful intimate scene between our romantics. If you like high fantasy and don't mind a little romance and female empowerment, this would be a great book for you to read. I savored this book. Now, for what I wish were different. Although this was a pretty lengthy book, I feel like it could have been slightly longer or some of the dialog could have been cut down in favor of being more descriptive and taking time to really flow the scenes into one another. There were a few times that I had to re read a section because I was like,'Wait, how did we get here'. I'm a sucker for descriptive imagery and really being immersed in each individual moment, and some of it wasn't descriptive enough to really help me visualize how the characters were feeling and what they were doing. I hope that makes sense. I honestly would have enjoyed another 100-200 pages to fit those things in. We want to see how they are standing and feel what it feels like to stand there while also enjoying the banging dialog that this book provides. DONT FORGET 1$ of every sale goes to a DV foundation that helps DV survivors break the cycle for good. Much like Cosima, but with less viol*nt means 😉
Firstly: read this. The message is too necessary and powerful. And the world is too stunning.
A rolling fantasy, Fate’s Tether is armed to the brimful with lush worldbuilding, heartachingly-feely prose, and a fast-paced and sprawling plot. Like books-wide sprawling. I cannot even wait.
So let’s talk Cosima—Sima has sooo many layers to unpack. And they aren’t always pretty layers, but they are real and a major factor in her reality. It’s a beautiful story of survival and bravery from our heroess. I thought Cosima and her powers gave us such a unique twist on fate.
Same for Vincenzo. He was a nice, light twist on our broody male. But very much our “touch her and die” fav. I really enjoyed all the dimension of his character!
This book kept me on my toes the entire read, kept me guessing and engaged and wondering where the twists would end up.
"Fate's Tether" is a captivating read that skillfully addresses difficult themes of abuse, domestic violence and manipulation - while at the same time spreading hope through resilience and wits. I loved how the female main character showed her strength by slowly defeating the toxic environment she was deeply oppressed by. With multiple intriguing side characters woven in an epic fantasy world full of magic and powers, this was a great read that kept me interested to find out Sima's journey and for her to find happiness.
Jade has created a captivating tale that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Our story revolves around Queen Cosima, a fierce and determined character who embarks on an emotional epic journey to reclaim her freedom from the cruel King Aurelio and restore her kingdom to peace. This thrilling adventure is filled with angels and immortals, magical creatures, and a slow burn romance that will leave you craving more. With each page, you'll be swept away by Cosima's strength and resilience as she battles against the odds to reclaim her destiny. So, if you're in the mood for a heart-pounding, action-packed story that's also filled with romance and magic, this book is definitely for you.
This was an amazing read, I read this as an arc and please please read the trigger warnings, Jade a survivor of DV has written a high fantasy book, Cosima was abused by her husband the king Aurelio he drugged and tortured her to use her power to change fate, until she met Vincenzo who is Aurelio brother one of twelve, the story unfolds with her escaping and putting an end to the king and finally be free, the love between Sima and Enzo is powerful and I was rooting for them throughout the book a well written first book a must read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
What a wild ride! I can only imagine this book felt cathartic to write. I was on the edge of my seat throughout and audibly gasped so many times. Definitely check the TW if you have experienced DV, but wow…this book handled it so well and had me rooting so hard for Sima! 🖤 I can’t wait to see what comes next from Jade!
I received this ARC from Jade and I can’t say how thankful I am for that!
If you love Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and also love reading high fantasy with some romance, this is your next read ❤️ excited to see where Cosima's journey goes in the next book!!
Wow! Jade weaves an incredible narrative that will have your heart a bit battered before the end. Heart wrenching, empowering, conflicting, eye opening.
She is the real deal. I think everyone who loves fantasy should give this a chance.
I’m gonna say up front I enjoyed this once it took off. The first 1/4 was the hardest for me. Lots of in depth descriptions & not my imagination catching. Then….it took off & went from that to yes let’s do this. I’m putting it in the slow burn, drag you in category of fantasy. A long well thought out book, lots covered & yes I can see why the descriptions were there once the book got going. Others really enjoyed all of it, go for it, it’s worth the read. The characters are good. Sima & Enzo being the top ones.
This was a beautiful and unique fantasy with ethereal worlds and sick powers. The author has a way of weaving a power of Fate with words that it plausible and sticks to its own rules.
The story of finding strength after enduring abuse is wonderfully written, and it's good to see Cosima grow throughout the story. We need more empowering FMCs like her.
This book is nothing short of a masterpiece! The world building went above and beyond and the characters were so deep that you really get to know them. Cosima became someone I continued to root for time and time again. I can’t wait for book 2!!
“Bravery is being afraid and charging forward regardless.”
Fate’s Tether is captivating, high fantasy book that shares the story of an incredibly resilient FMC, Cosima. The world building and imagery is incredibly written, it’s hard to believe this is the authors first novel. The magic system was unlike any other fantasy novel I’ve read and I loved that.
Read the trigger warnings when picking up this book, but the subject of mental health and DV are truly represented with such grace and care.
I have SO many emotions right now. The world built up in this book is beautiful, from the Archipelago to down below in Ombra and Eternita. The lore is intriguing and the FMC is phenomenal. Cosima’s growth from the beginning of the book to the end is just amazing and the feminine rage is top tier.
Check your trigger warnings because this book touches on a lot of dark things (like physical/mental abuse.) and Aurelio is the worst of the worst.
I’m impatiently awaiting the second book and seeing more of the Eternal Kingdom and Cosima and Vincenzo’s journey and if we get to see Yadira and Ivo again.
I enjoyed Fate’s Tether so much! I would have read it quicker had life not gotten in the way! This is Jade Nioma’s debut fantasy novel & she SHINES! She writes her fantasy world & conveys her world building with the skill of a more experienced author. This book is set in a fantasy world like no other. I am amazing at the attention to detail that Jade conveys in her story. If I would have went into the book blindly, I would have never guessed it was her 1st! Cosima’s story will live with me for years to come. This is such a touching story about hardships that are reality for far too many people out there! It tells a great tale, that has such a meaningful underlying message. It follows Cosima, Sima, as she endures domestic violence, leaves the situation and then reclaims her kingdom. Throughout this process, we see Sima struggle through self doubt and mental health issues that have been instilled in her due to Aurelio’s abuse. We are able to experience all that Sima experiences with her, including the bad: enduring abuse by Aurelio & feeling worthless, betrayal by a close friend, feeling betrayed by Vincenzo, and the loss of a close friend (seemingly); however, we also get to experience the good with her, including: hope, healing after DV, survival, learning to love herself, becoming more confident in herself, savoring the true friendships in her life, finding true love in Vincenzo, & saving the kingdom by eliminating Aurelio from the equation.
I am so excited to see what else Jade writes in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.