Owlbound by Winter's Beak

Owlbound #1

by Wesley E. Joseph

Tyrus grew up in a world without seasons, only snow and ice. A world, where humans and elves used to get along. A world, where fiery magic once thrived through a connection between owls and people. A world, he is destined to save.

Long ago, a never-ending Winter conquered all of the Wingspan Continent, and any hopes of that ever changing, had died silent deaths. But when Tyrus bonds with a curious owl that shouldn't exist, all those hopes are resurrected. He becomes the first Owlbound mage in over a century, capable of wielding the magical flames of legend and myth.

Together with the friends he makes along the way, he embarks on a fantastical journey to bring back the dancing seasons of ages lost and free his world from Winter's deadly beak.

Welcome, to the Wingspan Continent!

Owlbound by Winter's Beak is a young adult fantasy adventure set in a world ravaged by a never-ending cold. The story features a plethora of fantastical creatures, a quest to save the world, a chosen one, an adorable magical owl, found family, fiery colourful magic, a boy who explores the depths of his powers and sexuality, complete with a fun-loving and witty cast of characters.

Genres: Fantasy

296 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2024

About the author

Wesley E. Joseph (he/him/they/them) is a bisexual author and was born in the Flemish part of Belgium, in 1996.

When he's not watching a TV-show, a film, playing Dungeons & Dragons, completing a game, walking his dog, cuddling his cat, or reading books—preferably science fiction and/or fantasy—you can find him streaming on Twitch, writing his novels.

On Twitch, he shares his passion for creating worlds and characters with their lovely online community. He's a social media and community manager for a game developer by day, and a creator of magical worlds and characters by night. His first novel releases in September 2024.

Reviews

[Cleo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read this book a few times now, it's like coming home to your favourite cozy blanket with a warm cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter's day. It's a tale about friendship, family, discovering yourself and so much more. This story made me smile, laugh out loud and cry. It's a real page turner, you just get sucked into it. I would recommend it to everyone who just wants to escape life for a little while and find some new friends. I can't wait to read what these characters will be up to next time!

[Wesley Joseph]

Since I'm the author of this book, I'm a tiny bit biased, so I won't give a star rating. That being said, in this book you'll find a story about friends, (found) family, self-discovery, magic, saving the world, and much more!

If you do decide to give it a read, thank you, and I hope you'll love spending time with these characters as much as I do.

[Valerie Verworst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended by a friend on the basis that I love YA novels, magic/fantasy and owls! I have to say that it did not disappoint, these elements were well-present and I loved to learn about more fantastical creatures that I didn't know before, so cudos to the writer.

Even though I really love the story and I loved reading it, it always took me some time to pick it back up and it took me well into two thirds of the book to figure out why. On the one hand, I felt that too much was going on - it's a hero's journey, but then it's also a coming-of-age story, and a tale of self-discovery, AND a bit of a romance on top of all that. I didn't mind any of these, but I feel like it would have helped flow the story even more or make me more invested if we did without one or maybe two of these tropes. On the other hand, I felt like there weren't enough stakes in the book for the most part. It took a big chunk of the story until a threat actually felt real and got me more invested in the characters.

I really loved the plot twist at the end concerning the RP (IYKYK) and even though I had predicted it in the beginning, the breadcrumbs were so subtle that they took away my suspicions - a succesful misdirect indeed!

I am very happy to have read it, because the lore is well-thought out and I would love to see if and how this story progresses in a sequel novel!

[Elke Cooman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owlbound by Winter’s Beak by Welsey E. Joseph is a fantastic debut YA story. Although I had to get into it in the beginning, it is an amazing story. Once you’re in it, you are really in it. It’s written in a funny writing style that captivates you and makes sure that you can visualise everything. I laughed, I cried and I fell in love with the characters.

Another aspect of this book I loved was the representation. Topics like anxiety, bisexuality and racism are beautifully integrated in the story.

If you love owls, magic and three kids going on a quest, this one is for you! I can’t wait to read the next one!

[freya! · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love fantasy! this was such a fun read, and reading alongside the audiobook made it such an experience (also of course that's Cedric's accent it fit so well). i can't wait to read the next book because what do you mean I don't get to know more????

[Conny Verkest · Rating 5 out of 5]

It didn’t take long before I was completely absorbed into the story. It’s very well written. You can see the story come to life before your eyes. I can see it all in front of me. The story is fast-paced and the characters are recognizably portrayed, which stimulates the imagination. Chief Yike, for example, has “Trump traits”! The story is filled with cool, interesting characters, who are well portrayed and who have fun and engaging dialogues. Tyrus is courageous and persistent, whilst Lyra is a daredevil and a reckless rascal, with her heart in the right place. The desire to connect with others and to make friendships is strongly expressed. Pride and perseverance, but also jealousy, sadness and humour characterize certain events. In a world where fantasy becomes reality, friends join forces to embark on a courageous quest. Driven by hope and the search for a new spring, they brave countless challenges. Ultimately, they achieve glorious victories and are friends for life. This tastes like more!

[Callum Lowther · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a classic YA, with all the same satisfying elements that you would expect with a few refreshing twists. If I'm breaking it down into it's core components it would look like.
Story: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5.

I think the book could have been longer, with the challenges and world given more time to take shape and gain feeling. But if you are looking for a relatively short and cozy dive into a magical world it does it's job very well.

[Martina Bushell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thouroughly enjoyed the whimsical writing style and the overall vibe when reading. it's a relatively easy read and for me it was nice to read something where plans actually work and things are not going wrong ALL THE TIME. I loved the inclusiveness, from race to queerness and even disability. The bit of mystery that lingers after finishing makes you want to immediately start with the next one to know how the story unfolds :)

[Sophie Kinnear · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly enjoyable romp through magical snow following a diverse and interesting set of adventurers. The story balances it's lighthearted, feel-good baseline with moments of real emotion. Can't wait for the sequel.

[Allison Carlisle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason i don't think i gave it higher was because i listened to it as a audiobook and prob would of been more enjoyable if i just read it.