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Compass Points #1
Compass Points
A magical weapons master might be the key to saving the continent; if only she didn’t have to fake date a dangerous fae leader to do it.
Rose ran from the fae courts to a reclusive life in a northern village. When the encroaching mist hits too close to home and she learns her weapons can help, she can no longer avoid her past.
The handsome fae sent to investigate her skills is more dangerous than he appears. Deadly and determined, Luc is on a mission from the courts to stop the plague of mists. Rose must decide if he's her enemy, ally, or more as he threatens to uncover the secrets she's kept long buried.
A romantic fantasy set in a world that echoes the awe-inspiring scenery of United States National Parks. Fans of cozy vibes but higher stakes will love this new romantasy series with fake dating, elemental magic, an animal sidekick, and a strong female main character.
Rose ran from the fae courts to a reclusive life in a northern village. When the encroaching mist hits too close to home and she learns her weapons can help, she can no longer avoid her past.
The handsome fae sent to investigate her skills is more dangerous than he appears. Deadly and determined, Luc is on a mission from the courts to stop the plague of mists. Rose must decide if he's her enemy, ally, or more as he threatens to uncover the secrets she's kept long buried.
A romantic fantasy set in a world that echoes the awe-inspiring scenery of United States National Parks. Fans of cozy vibes but higher stakes will love this new romantasy series with fake dating, elemental magic, an animal sidekick, and a strong female main character.
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First published November 7, 2023
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October 25, 2023
RATING: 3.75-4✨
SPICE: 🌶️
Trope/Setting Highlights:
#️⃣ ~290 page new adult romantasy set in a world inspired by the United States National Parks (according to author!)
📖 Strangers-to-reluctant allies-to-friends-to-lovers
📖 Weapons master with secret genetics FMC x Earth fae leader MMC
📖 Elemental magic system
📖 Straightforward, contained worldbuilding (would say this falls closer to fluff fantasy than high/epic fantasy)
📖 Fake relationship, forced proximity, kiss as a distraction, one bed tropes
📖 Book 1 in Compass Points universe, Book 2 is Tangled Power coming Spring 2024
🌶️ Kissing scene(s) and an open-door spice scene with soft, vague sexual language
Review:
This is an arc review – thank you to NetGalley and the publisher as always, extremely grateful for these opportunities!
Compass Points by Jillian Witt is Book 1 in the larger Compass Points universe and introduces its readers to a small but engaging cast of characters.
Our FMC and sole POV Rose is a weapons master at a local market, but her wares carry far and wide on the wind, bringing folks from all over seeking out her special, possibly even magical goods. One such traveler is Luc, our MMC, looking to place a custom weapon order.
He had olive skin, dark black hair, and a face that was all hard lines and sharp features. But the smile he presented was the real weapon … She knew one thing for sure: This customer was earth fae. He was of the Suden fae court.
But Rose is a woman of many secrets, and one look at the Suden fae is all it takes for her to know she should stay very, very far away from him. Not like it would be such a change for Rose. Her secrets and her past molded and forced her into a secluded woman, mid to late twenties, with no one in the world as company aside from her young weapons trainee Tara, and mysterious animal shifter companion, Arie. Arie had shown up for her on the worst day of her life, and though both know the other has secrets, their bond promotes mutual, respectful silence.
But the time for silence appears now to be over. There is a danger lurking on the horizon, just as, if not even more, tangible than the shadow of Rose’s traumatic past – a plague of mist. It travels and ravages villages, leaving all, or almost all, who enter its gripping darkness in an endless sleep, as good as dead.
So as much as Rose has tried to run, tried to hide, tried to forget, she knows now is the time to, even if reluctantly, fight. Especially after the plague mist takes one of the only people close to her, Tara.
Together with Luc, and Arie as occasional well-timed support, Rose travels to the place she swore she would never set foot in again: Compass Lake, the home of the Compass Points.
The Norden, or north, Court, led by the Norden Point, who worship the god Aurora.
The Suden, or south, Court, led by the Suden Point, who worship the god Aterra.
The Osten, or east, Court, led by the Osten Point, who worship the lost god Zrak.
The Vesten, or west, Court, led by the Vesten Point, who worship the god Arctos.
Overall, this was a delightful and cozy romantasy read. Is this Jillian Witt’s debut novel? Because if so, WOW. This was a great debut, and if not, simply a great introduction to a new series.
I will admit, I went into this completely blind after requesting an arc based on a quick look at the cover and blurb, which sounded interesting. After reading the first few pages, I was starting to get worried. I wasn’t getting hooked immediately. However, once we were introduced to Luc, and his and Rose’s banter started to pick up, along with the beginnings of the worldbuilding, I was much more engaged.
I wouldn’t consider this an epic or high fantasy, with puzzling plotlines and intricate worldbuilding. The writing was fairly basic and straightforward, and that, coupled with the short chapters and dialogue, made this a super digestible read, and quicker than most fantasy books. I would definitely say this is classified correctly as a true romantasy.
Give Compass Points a try if you’re looking for a cozy romantasy with some classic romance tropes thrown in for funsies, a fun-to-read main couple, and some light worldbuilding to erase reality for a while.
Book 2 is Tangled Power which comes out Spring 2024, and I will definitely be checking it out and seeing where Rose and Luc’s story goes🩵
SPICE: 🌶️
Trope/Setting Highlights:
#️⃣ ~290 page new adult romantasy set in a world inspired by the United States National Parks (according to author!)
📖 Strangers-to-reluctant allies-to-friends-to-lovers
📖 Weapons master with secret genetics FMC x Earth fae leader MMC
📖 Elemental magic system
📖 Straightforward, contained worldbuilding (would say this falls closer to fluff fantasy than high/epic fantasy)
📖 Fake relationship, forced proximity, kiss as a distraction, one bed tropes
📖 Book 1 in Compass Points universe, Book 2 is Tangled Power coming Spring 2024
🌶️ Kissing scene(s) and an open-door spice scene with soft, vague sexual language
Review:
This is an arc review – thank you to NetGalley and the publisher as always, extremely grateful for these opportunities!
Compass Points by Jillian Witt is Book 1 in the larger Compass Points universe and introduces its readers to a small but engaging cast of characters.
Our FMC and sole POV Rose is a weapons master at a local market, but her wares carry far and wide on the wind, bringing folks from all over seeking out her special, possibly even magical goods. One such traveler is Luc, our MMC, looking to place a custom weapon order.
He had olive skin, dark black hair, and a face that was all hard lines and sharp features. But the smile he presented was the real weapon … She knew one thing for sure: This customer was earth fae. He was of the Suden fae court.
But Rose is a woman of many secrets, and one look at the Suden fae is all it takes for her to know she should stay very, very far away from him. Not like it would be such a change for Rose. Her secrets and her past molded and forced her into a secluded woman, mid to late twenties, with no one in the world as company aside from her young weapons trainee Tara, and mysterious animal shifter companion, Arie. Arie had shown up for her on the worst day of her life, and though both know the other has secrets, their bond promotes mutual, respectful silence.
But the time for silence appears now to be over. There is a danger lurking on the horizon, just as, if not even more, tangible than the shadow of Rose’s traumatic past – a plague of mist. It travels and ravages villages, leaving all, or almost all, who enter its gripping darkness in an endless sleep, as good as dead.
So as much as Rose has tried to run, tried to hide, tried to forget, she knows now is the time to, even if reluctantly, fight. Especially after the plague mist takes one of the only people close to her, Tara.
Together with Luc, and Arie as occasional well-timed support, Rose travels to the place she swore she would never set foot in again: Compass Lake, the home of the Compass Points.
The Norden, or north, Court, led by the Norden Point, who worship the god Aurora.
The Suden, or south, Court, led by the Suden Point, who worship the god Aterra.
The Osten, or east, Court, led by the Osten Point, who worship the lost god Zrak.
The Vesten, or west, Court, led by the Vesten Point, who worship the god Arctos.
Overall, this was a delightful and cozy romantasy read. Is this Jillian Witt’s debut novel? Because if so, WOW. This was a great debut, and if not, simply a great introduction to a new series.
I will admit, I went into this completely blind after requesting an arc based on a quick look at the cover and blurb, which sounded interesting. After reading the first few pages, I was starting to get worried. I wasn’t getting hooked immediately. However, once we were introduced to Luc, and his and Rose’s banter started to pick up, along with the beginnings of the worldbuilding, I was much more engaged.
I wouldn’t consider this an epic or high fantasy, with puzzling plotlines and intricate worldbuilding. The writing was fairly basic and straightforward, and that, coupled with the short chapters and dialogue, made this a super digestible read, and quicker than most fantasy books. I would definitely say this is classified correctly as a true romantasy.
Give Compass Points a try if you’re looking for a cozy romantasy with some classic romance tropes thrown in for funsies, a fun-to-read main couple, and some light worldbuilding to erase reality for a while.
Book 2 is Tangled Power which comes out Spring 2024, and I will definitely be checking it out and seeing where Rose and Luc’s story goes🩵
April 15, 2025
3.5 stars rounded down
This reads very easily and quickly and is an introduction to a new fantasy series focused on fae, humans, and gods/goddesses in a world that depends on balance, but is being threatened by a mysterious mist. It's also a debut for the author so I would hazard a guess that their writing will only get stronger as they find their groove in the series developing. I didn't connect as well with the main characters or the stakes of the overall world for some reason, but I still liked the main characters' traits and personalities. They're both concerned, protective, and active in trying to resolve the danger, for the greater good of all, not just themselves.
Written in third person, single POV of h. No ow/om drama and both appeared to be experienced though no real history given.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Hidden identity
☆ Mysterious powers
☆ Unknown enemy
☆ Shifter companion
☆ Addressing imbalance
☆ Powerful main characters
☆ FMC makes weapons
☆ MMC is rumored to be dangerous
☆ Forced proximity
☆ Fake relationship (but is it?)
☆ FMC's past seen in flashback chapters
Rose (h) is a weapons maker who's hiding out in an uninhabited area and selling her wares at a local village. She's approached by a fae man seeking the weapons master for a custom order, which she declines. When she's then attacked by that same person to try and force her hand, he realizes he underestimated her and she realizes she's dealing with one of the fae leaders, each of which represents the point of a compass. Luc (H) is the Suden Point and is leading the investigation of a mist that puts villagers into a coma wherever it's found. The working theory is that magical weapons attuned to specific magic may be helpful, which is why he sought out the weapons master that turns out to be Rose. Only Rose is hiding from a devastating past and has soooo many secrets.
The lead characters end up needing to work together and slowly uncover some answers and more questions. Rose's background is unveiled to the reader little by little and eventually to Luc as well. I really liked that she had a companion who'd been with her since she had to run from her home and the tragedy that happened there. He was also snarky, sneaky, and supportive. Both Rose and Luc had so many positives, I'm not sure why I didn't feel more engaged with them. Possibly because the author's writing didn't sink as deeply into the story as I would have liked in places.
For example, questions arise, then are easily put off for a later time, but the character that has to wait for answers is sort of just ok with it. I'm not the reader that patiently waits to find out information lol, I'm the one practically screaming to know all the things asap. Despite decent action happening throughout, I never felt an urgency to turn the page and find out what happens next though. And there's almost always something happening on page. Romance-wise, it's slow burn and the characters fit each other well so there's not a ton of push/pull, just questions about what they want or feel like can develop between them. Some slight steaminess where it's not very descriptive but not completely closed door either.
The ending is a cliffhanger in a way, however neither main character is in immediate peril. In the climax they do get some answers that just lead to more questions, but at least you know as the reader why events are happening. Not sure if the other Compass Points will be help or hindrance and if others besides Luc's family and Rose's companion will assist them or if everything falls on them. I don't know if I'll continue the series, but it may work for others who want some interesting fae world building alongside a softer kind of feel and leads who are genuinely good at heart characters, fighting against imbalances of the world.
This reads very easily and quickly and is an introduction to a new fantasy series focused on fae, humans, and gods/goddesses in a world that depends on balance, but is being threatened by a mysterious mist. It's also a debut for the author so I would hazard a guess that their writing will only get stronger as they find their groove in the series developing. I didn't connect as well with the main characters or the stakes of the overall world for some reason, but I still liked the main characters' traits and personalities. They're both concerned, protective, and active in trying to resolve the danger, for the greater good of all, not just themselves.
Written in third person, single POV of h. No ow/om drama and both appeared to be experienced though no real history given.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Hidden identity
☆ Mysterious powers
☆ Unknown enemy
☆ Shifter companion
☆ Addressing imbalance
☆ Powerful main characters
☆ FMC makes weapons
☆ MMC is rumored to be dangerous
☆ Forced proximity
☆ Fake relationship (but is it?)
☆ FMC's past seen in flashback chapters
Rose (h) is a weapons maker who's hiding out in an uninhabited area and selling her wares at a local village. She's approached by a fae man seeking the weapons master for a custom order, which she declines. When she's then attacked by that same person to try and force her hand, he realizes he underestimated her and she realizes she's dealing with one of the fae leaders, each of which represents the point of a compass. Luc (H) is the Suden Point and is leading the investigation of a mist that puts villagers into a coma wherever it's found. The working theory is that magical weapons attuned to specific magic may be helpful, which is why he sought out the weapons master that turns out to be Rose. Only Rose is hiding from a devastating past and has soooo many secrets.
The lead characters end up needing to work together and slowly uncover some answers and more questions. Rose's background is unveiled to the reader little by little and eventually to Luc as well. I really liked that she had a companion who'd been with her since she had to run from her home and the tragedy that happened there. He was also snarky, sneaky, and supportive. Both Rose and Luc had so many positives, I'm not sure why I didn't feel more engaged with them. Possibly because the author's writing didn't sink as deeply into the story as I would have liked in places.
For example, questions arise, then are easily put off for a later time, but the character that has to wait for answers is sort of just ok with it. I'm not the reader that patiently waits to find out information lol, I'm the one practically screaming to know all the things asap. Despite decent action happening throughout, I never felt an urgency to turn the page and find out what happens next though. And there's almost always something happening on page. Romance-wise, it's slow burn and the characters fit each other well so there's not a ton of push/pull, just questions about what they want or feel like can develop between them. Some slight steaminess where it's not very descriptive but not completely closed door either.
The ending is a cliffhanger in a way, however neither main character is in immediate peril. In the climax they do get some answers that just lead to more questions, but at least you know as the reader why events are happening. Not sure if the other Compass Points will be help or hindrance and if others besides Luc's family and Rose's companion will assist them or if everything falls on them. I don't know if I'll continue the series, but it may work for others who want some interesting fae world building alongside a softer kind of feel and leads who are genuinely good at heart characters, fighting against imbalances of the world.
June 4, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of the audiobook
4.5
This was so fast paced and fun. It had enough original elements to make it stand out but it still felt like such a classic fantasy. The stakes were not low, yet it still gave me a cozy feeling.
I feel like it's been so long since the last time I came across a male love interest I actually liked. Both him, the main character and the animal companion we're following throughout the whole novel are super likable and that made it easy to care. It also helped to have a less than 300 page space to tell this full first installment in the story, to avoid ever losing interest in the actual plot. It moved enough to keep things interesting.
I also want to point out that the past-timeline was really well used; it felt like every bit we got, we got at the right time.
4.5
This was so fast paced and fun. It had enough original elements to make it stand out but it still felt like such a classic fantasy. The stakes were not low, yet it still gave me a cozy feeling.
I feel like it's been so long since the last time I came across a male love interest I actually liked. Both him, the main character and the animal companion we're following throughout the whole novel are super likable and that made it easy to care. It also helped to have a less than 300 page space to tell this full first installment in the story, to avoid ever losing interest in the actual plot. It moved enough to keep things interesting.
I also want to point out that the past-timeline was really well used; it felt like every bit we got, we got at the right time.
Read
November 20, 2023DNF.
I can't get into this I might come back to it at a later date.
ARC.
I can't get into this I might come back to it at a later date.
ARC.
December 8, 2023
In a secluded northern village, Rose, a magical and mundane weapons maker, has evaded her past for years and settled into a quiet life. A representative from the mysterious Suden Point seeks her skills to combat a strange plague of mist sweeping the continent and her secluded existence faces upheaval. With the plague threatening her town, Rose chooses between persisting in avoiding her history or confronting it by returning to Compass Lake, where she vowed never to return. As she grapples with this decision, her fate intertwines with Luc and the two strive to get answers and to save their land.
This romantic fantasy offers an engaging narrative with tropes like enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, secret past, and talking shapeshifting sidekick. This enchanting tale introduces readers to a soft, yet swift romance that unfolds between the two compelling protagonists. Rose is tough and Luc, an incorrigible flirt, is as enamored as the reader is with Rose. Luc makes sure that people think of him as cold and standoffish and unflattering rumors circulate about him. Luc's unexpectedly protective and sweet nature towards his family (and Rose) adds a heartwarming layer to the narrative, portraying endearing moments amidst the unfolding action. The secondary characters (especially the animal companion) and Rose's past all bring depth and dimension to the story, contributing to the world-building that shapes the unique landscape of the book. The mist plague creates an intriguing backdrop for the reader to explore.
This story has good bones and plenty of unique aspects that make it enjoyable. However, the narrative suffers from telling rather than showing, which impacted my immersion. Some moments seem completely illogical. Early in the story, Rose licks Luc's face and bites his ear and it is not even mentioned until the latter half of the book. It was a jarring moment for me and I kept waiting to see if there was some reason for her actions. Despite these narrative hurdles, the novel shows promise, with a foundation that holds potential for further development and exploration in subsequent installments. It left a whole lot of questions to be answered.
Thanks to BOMM and the author for the eARC! This is an honest review.
This romantic fantasy offers an engaging narrative with tropes like enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, secret past, and talking shapeshifting sidekick. This enchanting tale introduces readers to a soft, yet swift romance that unfolds between the two compelling protagonists. Rose is tough and Luc, an incorrigible flirt, is as enamored as the reader is with Rose. Luc makes sure that people think of him as cold and standoffish and unflattering rumors circulate about him. Luc's unexpectedly protective and sweet nature towards his family (and Rose) adds a heartwarming layer to the narrative, portraying endearing moments amidst the unfolding action. The secondary characters (especially the animal companion) and Rose's past all bring depth and dimension to the story, contributing to the world-building that shapes the unique landscape of the book. The mist plague creates an intriguing backdrop for the reader to explore.
This story has good bones and plenty of unique aspects that make it enjoyable. However, the narrative suffers from telling rather than showing, which impacted my immersion. Some moments seem completely illogical. Early in the story, Rose licks Luc's face and bites his ear and it is not even mentioned until the latter half of the book. It was a jarring moment for me and I kept waiting to see if there was some reason for her actions. Despite these narrative hurdles, the novel shows promise, with a foundation that holds potential for further development and exploration in subsequent installments. It left a whole lot of questions to be answered.
Thanks to BOMM and the author for the eARC! This is an honest review.
July 27, 2024
Listened to the audiobook for my Prosecco & Pages romantasy book club and loved it!! Can’t wait for book club virtual meeting this week where we’ll chat with the author! 🥳
February 26, 2025
A quick, easy to understand, intriguing fantasy with a good fake dating trope! I really really enjoyed this. There was enough world building to justify a short fantasy but with just enough intrigue to make me want to pick up book two. I really hope we dive into more of the magic system and the world building in the next one. The pacing was on the quicker side but I felt it was well paced overall. I'm really invested in Rose and Luc and I'm excited to see where the next book takes them!
Thank you so much Jillian for sending me a copy of your book and I'm so sorry it took me so long to get to it!
Thank you so much Jillian for sending me a copy of your book and I'm so sorry it took me so long to get to it!
June 8, 2024
This was surprisingly good, definitely a unique fantasy story and very atmospheric. There’s fake dating, forced proximity, a little rivalry and “Who did this to you?” I adored the FMC and her backstory, and I absolutely LOVED her animal companion. The setting was beautiful and it made me want to visit the world. This story was simple but with a very different fantasy world. There is romance, but very little spice, it’s not closed door, but also not explicit. I loved this and can’t wait to start book 2.
May 30, 2025
I really thought I would like this more after the first few chapters.
The beginning gave me the impression pretty explicitly that this story would value competence over inborn privilege.
This couldn't be further from the truth.
None of her competence plays any role throughout the story. Even (very mild spoiler) which initially seemed like they would play a major role aren't as amazing as they are because of her skill but because she inherited just the right awesome powers.
This is not an isolated flaw but is part of the general tone of this story which is just self-insert wish-fulfillment.
"I wanna imagine being powerful and awesome and sexy with high self-confidence, loved and admired by everyone" and so on and so forth.
As you might imagine this also results in rather two-dimensional characters as well.
The FMC feels very passive despite being "strong" because most of the choices she makes are the obvious ones that aren't really choices at all. Everything falls into place too conveniently which takes away all the hard decisions. She never ends up in a position of weakness which feels unbelievable. It almost reads like a religious text about a spiritual leader who can do no wrong and fate always aligns in this god-controlled way. (There are no themes of that kind of religion in here. I am just trying to put into words what this kind of power-fantasy story-telling does to a book.)
I was hoping for a lot more in terms of character growth at least. There are some shallow politics but they never caught my interest because its just a hand full of one-dimensional tropes with nothing more behind them.
Power fantasies can be a lot of fun but like any other story they need more than just a bunch of shallow tropes glued together with hopes and dreams and a nice cover.
I wanted to see her skills improve through hard work to create true masterpieces which allows them to stand their ground.
I wanted to see her struggle to overcome her old demons and her having to confront and overcome them in the process.
I wanted her to have difficulties and setbacks that makes her achievements something to be admired.
I wanted her to fight for every yard she gained and succeed as a result.
Are these all old clichés too? Yes! And that is fine. But you can actually build something unique and interesting on top of these. Things that define a character as an unique individual.
There are other ways to craft a power fantasy of course. One that I see sometimes, typically in more male-targeted stories, is to keep the reader guessing about what the main character is capable of. Those stories live from the excitement and anticipation of every reveal that shows how amazing the main character really is. These hold tension through the audience not knowing the next trump card the main character will play. This is sometimes paired with a revenge plot. The earliest version of this I know about is the count of monte-cristo.
But what we got just has no tension. Or rather the tensions unravel at the drop of a hat without any resistance which felt very unsatisfying to me.
I should probably mention the romance which is arguably the whole point of the story to begin with.
It didn't work for me for the same reason. Why should the MMC admire her? All the same reasons from above apply. This made the whole romance feel hollow. I couldn't empathize with him being attracted to her because he can mostly only admire the aspect of her character she has not done anything for. To me there isn't much of a difference between liking someone solely because of their appearance and liking them for inherited societal status or magic powers etc.
And he had not a lot going for him other than being physically attractive and not being an asshole either.
Romantic and sexual tension was done decently well but it felt a bit too much too early on especially because it drags on forever to get to the little spice there is around the 90% mark. And its very brief and very tame. The sheer amount of intimate words, touches, and glances made me expect a lot more than a single paragraph.
The last point that really confuses me about this book is how it is trying to be low-stakes and high-stakes at the same time. There is a place for stories with little tension where things are easy and comfortable. They usually are referred to with the "cozy" prefix. They are usually mostly about individuals and/or small towns.
But in this one we get a typical fantasy world-ending threat with gods clashing and all that. What is the point of having those kinds of stakes if you just plot-convenience it all away?
This book seems like a cozy fantasy romance that was mistakenly dropped into an epic fantasy setting. For me this doesn't work, just like pineapple on pizza doesn't. But lots of people seem like that too so what the hecc do I know.
As you can probably tell, I am not really sure how much of what I described here is just a mismatch of expectations and preference and how much of it is a lack of writing skill.
If I would ever attempt to write any kind of story it would end up being the most dry and tedious text ever and this is something this book does quite well actually. It never felt like a chore to read.
I'm sure some people will thoroughly enjoy this story and there is nothing wrong with that of course.
But for me this was a miss.
What I like about good cozies is that I get to connect more deeply on a personal level. But there isn't anything to connect to here.
The beginning gave me the impression pretty explicitly that this story would value competence over inborn privilege.
This couldn't be further from the truth.
None of her competence plays any role throughout the story. Even (very mild spoiler) which initially seemed like they would play a major role aren't as amazing as they are because of her skill but because she inherited just the right awesome powers.
This is not an isolated flaw but is part of the general tone of this story which is just self-insert wish-fulfillment.
"I wanna imagine being powerful and awesome and sexy with high self-confidence, loved and admired by everyone" and so on and so forth.
As you might imagine this also results in rather two-dimensional characters as well.
The FMC feels very passive despite being "strong" because most of the choices she makes are the obvious ones that aren't really choices at all. Everything falls into place too conveniently which takes away all the hard decisions. She never ends up in a position of weakness which feels unbelievable. It almost reads like a religious text about a spiritual leader who can do no wrong and fate always aligns in this god-controlled way. (There are no themes of that kind of religion in here. I am just trying to put into words what this kind of power-fantasy story-telling does to a book.)
I was hoping for a lot more in terms of character growth at least. There are some shallow politics but they never caught my interest because its just a hand full of one-dimensional tropes with nothing more behind them.
Power fantasies can be a lot of fun but like any other story they need more than just a bunch of shallow tropes glued together with hopes and dreams and a nice cover.
I wanted to see her skills improve through hard work to create true masterpieces which allows them to stand their ground.
I wanted to see her struggle to overcome her old demons and her having to confront and overcome them in the process.
I wanted her to have difficulties and setbacks that makes her achievements something to be admired.
I wanted her to fight for every yard she gained and succeed as a result.
Are these all old clichés too? Yes! And that is fine. But you can actually build something unique and interesting on top of these. Things that define a character as an unique individual.
There are other ways to craft a power fantasy of course. One that I see sometimes, typically in more male-targeted stories, is to keep the reader guessing about what the main character is capable of. Those stories live from the excitement and anticipation of every reveal that shows how amazing the main character really is. These hold tension through the audience not knowing the next trump card the main character will play. This is sometimes paired with a revenge plot. The earliest version of this I know about is the count of monte-cristo.
But what we got just has no tension. Or rather the tensions unravel at the drop of a hat without any resistance which felt very unsatisfying to me.
I should probably mention the romance which is arguably the whole point of the story to begin with.
It didn't work for me for the same reason. Why should the MMC admire her? All the same reasons from above apply. This made the whole romance feel hollow. I couldn't empathize with him being attracted to her because he can mostly only admire the aspect of her character she has not done anything for. To me there isn't much of a difference between liking someone solely because of their appearance and liking them for inherited societal status or magic powers etc.
And he had not a lot going for him other than being physically attractive and not being an asshole either.
Romantic and sexual tension was done decently well but it felt a bit too much too early on especially because it drags on forever to get to the little spice there is around the 90% mark. And its very brief and very tame. The sheer amount of intimate words, touches, and glances made me expect a lot more than a single paragraph.
The last point that really confuses me about this book is how it is trying to be low-stakes and high-stakes at the same time. There is a place for stories with little tension where things are easy and comfortable. They usually are referred to with the "cozy" prefix. They are usually mostly about individuals and/or small towns.
But in this one we get a typical fantasy world-ending threat with gods clashing and all that. What is the point of having those kinds of stakes if you just plot-convenience it all away?
This book seems like a cozy fantasy romance that was mistakenly dropped into an epic fantasy setting. For me this doesn't work, just like pineapple on pizza doesn't. But lots of people seem like that too so what the hecc do I know.
As you can probably tell, I am not really sure how much of what I described here is just a mismatch of expectations and preference and how much of it is a lack of writing skill.
If I would ever attempt to write any kind of story it would end up being the most dry and tedious text ever and this is something this book does quite well actually. It never felt like a chore to read.
I'm sure some people will thoroughly enjoy this story and there is nothing wrong with that of course.
But for me this was a miss.
What I like about good cozies is that I get to connect more deeply on a personal level. But there isn't anything to connect to here.
April 18, 2024
Cute romantasy with a unique inspiration - United States magical parks!! The elemental magic & setting reflect this well. This is a fast read under 300 pages, I wish it had been a little longer so we got more of the enemies to lovers and fake dating, but I was pleased with what we did get of those tropes. There’s also a bit of a dual timeline POV where it’s revealed what happened to our main character in the past with her childhood friend that connects to what is happening in the present
January 19, 2025
Is it possible to enjoy a book and still find it quite dull? Because I’m not sure how to feel about this one. I did enjoy the story, and I will read the next book in the series, but overall, the execution felt flat.
The idea is great, and the characters are enjoyable, but I feel like something was missing. The characters have a lot of potential and intriguing magic, and I hope they are portrayed with more depth in the next book.
Overall, I think this book needed bolder writing. It needed a bit more of everything—emotions, world-building, and action. However, since this is a debut, I believe the author will have time to improve in future novels.
That said, I think this book has its audience, and I’d recommend it to romance readers who are new to fantasy and to anyone looking for a light read.
The idea is great, and the characters are enjoyable, but I feel like something was missing. The characters have a lot of potential and intriguing magic, and I hope they are portrayed with more depth in the next book.
Overall, I think this book needed bolder writing. It needed a bit more of everything—emotions, world-building, and action. However, since this is a debut, I believe the author will have time to improve in future novels.
That said, I think this book has its audience, and I’d recommend it to romance readers who are new to fantasy and to anyone looking for a light read.
November 27, 2023
Oh my gosh, this is one of my favorite reads this year! The fantasy and the romance were nicely balanced, not leaning too heavily either way. I didn’t want to leave this world, I actually got upset I had to do adult things like sleep and other adulting tasks. Magic, danger, romance, and a funny shape shifting sidekick (although Arie would probably hate being classified that way) made this book an awesome read. In fact, my only complaint is that the next book doesn’t come out until next summer 😭😭😭
❤️Tropes❤️
💋enemies to lovers
💋fake dating
💋one bed
💋bad@ss FMC
Rose is used to being underestimated. After years of hiding out and hiding her magical abilities, her hand is forced. There is a magical mist spreading through their lands, placing everyone it touches into a deep coma, barely alive. Entire villages are being taken out. As she is taking down another man who is used to being listened to, the mist hits the village where she sells her weapons. And they are the only one to not be affected by the mist. No one had ever been spared before. Now they are on a quest to stop it.
Thank you to Literary Media Tours for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
❤️Tropes❤️
💋enemies to lovers
💋fake dating
💋one bed
💋bad@ss FMC
Rose is used to being underestimated. After years of hiding out and hiding her magical abilities, her hand is forced. There is a magical mist spreading through their lands, placing everyone it touches into a deep coma, barely alive. Entire villages are being taken out. As she is taking down another man who is used to being listened to, the mist hits the village where she sells her weapons. And they are the only one to not be affected by the mist. No one had ever been spared before. Now they are on a quest to stop it.
Thank you to Literary Media Tours for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
April 14, 2024
Spice level: 1.5 🌶️
Read if you like:
▫️fae
▫️elemental magic
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️fake relationship
▫️dual timeline
▫️one bed
This was a fun fantasy read that came in under 300 pages, so it was a quick read as well.
Rose is strong and sassy, and she’s a weapons smith, which is a cool talent to give a heroine. She has a quirky animal sidekick that provides comedic relief. Luc is mysterious, and has a reputation for being cold and calculating, when in reality he’s sweet and protective.
This book does a good job introducing us to the characters, giving some world building, and setting the stage for the rest of the series.
Thank you to MTMC Tours and Jillian Witt for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
https://instagram.com/shanisshelves?i...
https://www.tiktok.com/@shanisshelves
Read if you like:
▫️fae
▫️elemental magic
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️fake relationship
▫️dual timeline
▫️one bed
This was a fun fantasy read that came in under 300 pages, so it was a quick read as well.
Rose is strong and sassy, and she’s a weapons smith, which is a cool talent to give a heroine. She has a quirky animal sidekick that provides comedic relief. Luc is mysterious, and has a reputation for being cold and calculating, when in reality he’s sweet and protective.
This book does a good job introducing us to the characters, giving some world building, and setting the stage for the rest of the series.
Thank you to MTMC Tours and Jillian Witt for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
https://instagram.com/shanisshelves?i...
https://www.tiktok.com/@shanisshelves
May 28, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,5 / 🌶️
Cozy fantasy book with interesting characters and a unique, well-written world.
I liked Rose as an FMC. She had an interesting past and seemed like a strong and intelligent character. I’ve rarely seen the FMC of a fantasy book being a weapons master, and I think that brought some uniqueness to her as a character. Both her powers and weapons seemed interesting, and I would love to learn more about them.
The MMC, Luc, also seemed like an intriguing character. I enjoyed the interactions, tension, and slow burn between the FMC and MMC. I also enjoyed the fake dating and enemies to lovers tropes.
The world and the whole idea of the Compass Points seemed unique. The world-building was well-written and really interesting. I would love to learn even more about the world.
The plot kept me engaged from beginning to end. There were some plot twists and also some questions left unanswered. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
There were a few points where I would have loved more dialogue instead of inner monologue, but otherwise, I enjoyed the storytelling.
I listened the audiobook narrated by Kasi Hollowell. I think the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life.
I haven’t listened to that many audiobooks, but I enjoyed the experience and definitely will try to listen to more in the future.
Thank you, author Jillian Witt, for sending me the audiobook. Receiving ALC didn’t affect my opinion of the book and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
Cozy fantasy book with interesting characters and a unique, well-written world.
I liked Rose as an FMC. She had an interesting past and seemed like a strong and intelligent character. I’ve rarely seen the FMC of a fantasy book being a weapons master, and I think that brought some uniqueness to her as a character. Both her powers and weapons seemed interesting, and I would love to learn more about them.
The MMC, Luc, also seemed like an intriguing character. I enjoyed the interactions, tension, and slow burn between the FMC and MMC. I also enjoyed the fake dating and enemies to lovers tropes.
The world and the whole idea of the Compass Points seemed unique. The world-building was well-written and really interesting. I would love to learn even more about the world.
The plot kept me engaged from beginning to end. There were some plot twists and also some questions left unanswered. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
There were a few points where I would have loved more dialogue instead of inner monologue, but otherwise, I enjoyed the storytelling.
I listened the audiobook narrated by Kasi Hollowell. I think the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life.
I haven’t listened to that many audiobooks, but I enjoyed the experience and definitely will try to listen to more in the future.
Thank you, author Jillian Witt, for sending me the audiobook. Receiving ALC didn’t affect my opinion of the book and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
June 14, 2024
✨𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨
📖: Compass Points: Compass Points #1
🧭: Available now & fee€ in Kindle Unlimited
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
A reclusive weapons master and infamous court fae become entangled in a fake relationship to uncover the secrets surrounding the Mist threatening to overtake the lands.
All who encounter the Mist fall to an endless sleep but something about Rose’s magical weapons might help defeat it. Can Rose and Luc overcome their complicated feelings and even more complicated pasts to save the land?
Tropes/themes:
💝 Fake dating
💫 Elemental magic & gods
🫥 Hidden identities
🕵🏻♀️ Intrigue
🐻 Just one bear
🐦⬛ Sassy shapeshifting sidekick
🛌 Just one bed
🗣️ Banter
“𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺.”
I loved the high stakes yet cozy fantasy vibes of this book! Rose is such a nuanced character who is still processing her grief and loss while hiding some big secrets. Luc is a mysterious and powerful fae whose magic seems drawn to Rose. Jill does a phenomenal job revealing their layers throughout the story.
Rose and Arie’s relationship warmed my heart and kept me cackling. But Rose’s dynamic with Luc? The tension and slow burn was 🤌 and I can’t wait to see where things go.
Compass Points is a wildly charming adventure
filled with delightful banter, delicious tension, and whimsical elements to keep you captivated!
Huge thanks to the author for the provided copy. I’m already deep into the ARC for Book 2, Tangled Power, releasing June 18!
This is my honest and voluntary review
📖: Compass Points: Compass Points #1
🧭: Available now & fee€ in Kindle Unlimited
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
A reclusive weapons master and infamous court fae become entangled in a fake relationship to uncover the secrets surrounding the Mist threatening to overtake the lands.
All who encounter the Mist fall to an endless sleep but something about Rose’s magical weapons might help defeat it. Can Rose and Luc overcome their complicated feelings and even more complicated pasts to save the land?
Tropes/themes:
💝 Fake dating
💫 Elemental magic & gods
🫥 Hidden identities
🕵🏻♀️ Intrigue
🐻 Just one bear
🐦⬛ Sassy shapeshifting sidekick
🛌 Just one bed
🗣️ Banter
“𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺.”
I loved the high stakes yet cozy fantasy vibes of this book! Rose is such a nuanced character who is still processing her grief and loss while hiding some big secrets. Luc is a mysterious and powerful fae whose magic seems drawn to Rose. Jill does a phenomenal job revealing their layers throughout the story.
Rose and Arie’s relationship warmed my heart and kept me cackling. But Rose’s dynamic with Luc? The tension and slow burn was 🤌 and I can’t wait to see where things go.
Compass Points is a wildly charming adventure
filled with delightful banter, delicious tension, and whimsical elements to keep you captivated!
Huge thanks to the author for the provided copy. I’m already deep into the ARC for Book 2, Tangled Power, releasing June 18!
This is my honest and voluntary review
August 20, 2024
4.25 ⭐️'s
What a cozy & fun fantasy romance book!
The author did an amazing job at creating a unique magic system (elemental magic, fae, gods, goddesses, a mist plague--what more could you ask for??) along with a captivating storyline. I really enjoyed learning about our FMC, Rose. I thought that her being a magical weapon master was so interesting & one of my favorite parts about the book.
I adore a fake dating trope & this one is done SO well. The chemistry between Rose & Luc is amazinggg. The banter 🤭😮💨 & the slow burnnnn!!!! 🫠
We also meet one of my favorite characters in book 1, Arie!!! I love a shapeshifting bestie 🐦⬛🐻 The friendship they have with Rose is perfect & I love how they protect her and always had her best interest in mind! 🥹
Overall, I adored this book!!! the story & magic system is so unique and truly pulls you in from page 1! Definitely recommend!
WHAT TO EXPECT:
🤍 elemental magic
🩵 mysterious mist plague
🗡️ magical weapon forging
♥️ fake dating
🐦⬛ shape shifting bestie
***Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book!
November 28, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy of this title. I received this ahead of the release of the final book in the trilogy in December.
Rose minds her own business. She has one friend and a talking shifting pet (she doesn't ask too many questions.) She is a talented weapons master and is hiding a wealth of secrets. Aside from being on pins and needles about the mysterious fog that is rolling through the country making people go night night for an undetermined amount of time, life is good. Then HE walks into her life and now she has to face people, places, and memories that she has been running from for 10 years.
Is the story unique? Not really. But the WAY the story goes is different and interesting. I love the relationship between her and Luc. She doesn't spend half the book griping about how she doesn't want to have anything to do with him. She accepts him as an ally and trustworthy partner really early in the book which I appreciate. I am excited to see how this story plays out. I gave it 4⭐ because it was easy to read, had some very quotable lines and fun banter, and is different enough in a genre that is growing stale to keep me invested.
Rose minds her own business. She has one friend and a talking shifting pet (she doesn't ask too many questions.) She is a talented weapons master and is hiding a wealth of secrets. Aside from being on pins and needles about the mysterious fog that is rolling through the country making people go night night for an undetermined amount of time, life is good. Then HE walks into her life and now she has to face people, places, and memories that she has been running from for 10 years.
Is the story unique? Not really. But the WAY the story goes is different and interesting. I love the relationship between her and Luc. She doesn't spend half the book griping about how she doesn't want to have anything to do with him. She accepts him as an ally and trustworthy partner really early in the book which I appreciate. I am excited to see how this story plays out. I gave it 4⭐ because it was easy to read, had some very quotable lines and fun banter, and is different enough in a genre that is growing stale to keep me invested.
October 31, 2023
A young woman has hidden herself away for 10 years until she realizes that her unique abilities might be the only thing that can stop the plague sweeping across the land.
Read if you like: NA fantasy, hidden powers, fake dating, fae, cool elemental magic systems, slow burn with a bit of spice, fun sidekicks, twisty history, a brave and competent FMC, and a smart and poised MMC.
Rose has been running from her past and keeping most of her abilities hidden. She’s carved out a quiet life forging weapons and worrying about the encroaching mist that carries a sleeping plague. The Suden Point, one of the four points of power, looking for a something to stop the mist has heard of her skills. He is requesting her services and before she can say no tragedy strikes her village. Her weapons might be the key to saving everyone. But will she be able to face her past in Compass Lake?
Compass Points is such a great debut. The world is beautiful. I love having elemental fae courts ordered around the points of a compass. It makes a familiar idea feel fresh. The pacing is great and the characters have room to grow within the plot while not ever feeling like they have to work at it. It has action and tension and that air of mystery with Rose’s past. The MMC is just secretive enough to keep you guessing while also falling for him.
Every so often it gets a little repetitive and wordy, rehashing inner monologue or history of note, and always calling the leaders by their official titles. But I chalked that up to a debut and the focus on keeping all the different lines of lore and plot going. The lore is also really unique and perfectly sets us up for the magical systems in place. There are a lot of fun romantasy moments that will feel familiar to any FBAA fans with their swoon goodness.
Thank you so much to Jillian Witt for an advanced review copy of Compass Points.
Read if you like: NA fantasy, hidden powers, fake dating, fae, cool elemental magic systems, slow burn with a bit of spice, fun sidekicks, twisty history, a brave and competent FMC, and a smart and poised MMC.
Rose has been running from her past and keeping most of her abilities hidden. She’s carved out a quiet life forging weapons and worrying about the encroaching mist that carries a sleeping plague. The Suden Point, one of the four points of power, looking for a something to stop the mist has heard of her skills. He is requesting her services and before she can say no tragedy strikes her village. Her weapons might be the key to saving everyone. But will she be able to face her past in Compass Lake?
Compass Points is such a great debut. The world is beautiful. I love having elemental fae courts ordered around the points of a compass. It makes a familiar idea feel fresh. The pacing is great and the characters have room to grow within the plot while not ever feeling like they have to work at it. It has action and tension and that air of mystery with Rose’s past. The MMC is just secretive enough to keep you guessing while also falling for him.
Every so often it gets a little repetitive and wordy, rehashing inner monologue or history of note, and always calling the leaders by their official titles. But I chalked that up to a debut and the focus on keeping all the different lines of lore and plot going. The lore is also really unique and perfectly sets us up for the magical systems in place. There are a lot of fun romantasy moments that will feel familiar to any FBAA fans with their swoon goodness.
Thank you so much to Jillian Witt for an advanced review copy of Compass Points.
June 1, 2025
Great storyline! I have both the audiobook and the Kindle version and can recommend both. I just started book 2 on KU! In this book, Rose passes the tests and is the true heir to Nordenpoint, but flees when the son of the current Nordenpoint leader kills her family and tries to kill her. She is a skilled blacksmith who can craft magical weapons, and when a magical plague begins to attack small villages, the Sudenpoint leader begins to look for smiths who can craft magical weapons to fight the plague.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
September 12, 2024
This was such a nice fast and easy read ! The MCs are likeable and interesting. The story unfolds with some flashbacks, letting the reader know slowly a bit more about the FMC, her past and who she is. A shifter follows her and it was the most mysterious character of the book. The ending had me on the edge of my seat with revelations upon revelations, but there is so much more to do now, I need book 2 ! If you're looking for a fantasy trilogy on the shorter side, with fae and elemental magic, look no further !
March 10, 2024
This was such a unique fantasy that had so many romantasy tropes and elements. It has fake dating and strangers/friends to lovers. I loved Rose, the FMC. She is strong, fierce, and independent. And I do love me an independent woman.
I received an audiobook version in exchange for an honest review. The narrator for the audiobook was also enjoyable to listen to.
Definitely pick this one up if you want to be swept away to a new world.
I received an audiobook version in exchange for an honest review. The narrator for the audiobook was also enjoyable to listen to.
Definitely pick this one up if you want to be swept away to a new world.
October 26, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This is the first book in a new adult fantasy series. I think the series is off to a good start! This book for the most part did a decent job bringing readers into the world, but maybe not early enough into the story. I think some of that world-building, especially some relevant explanations could've happened a little sooner in the story, just to set that stage more.. The main characters are pretty engaging and I'm very interested in seeing where their story goes. The romance was well done and that's something else I'm looking forward to seeing more of. Compass Points is a good start to this new series! It really is the beginning of what I'm expecting to be a great romantic adventure!
December 5, 2023
A shapeshifting sidekick? Please. I need. This is such a beautiful book! Honestly, it isn’t too often I meet a book I don’t like. Also, we ALL know where this fake dating situation is going to lead 🤓 *wink wink* I loved this book!
October 9, 2023
Really enjoyed this new world and look forward to seeing what comes next!
October 17, 2023
Despite an unsure start, this book turned out to be more delightful than I expected! I love Luc and Rose. Their relationship and banter create such a wonderful dynamic that just makes the whole story worth it. Rose was very relatable as a character and has such a complex background to her. They seem like a solid couple rather than one that originates from lies and leads to an inevitable falling out. Luc has respected her since he met her and is very open about the need to communicate and be honest with each other. I was ready for some backstabbing, but they have what seems like an uncharacteristically healthy relationship compared to others in a genre like this. It was refreshing!
Honestly, I thought this was going to go on my DNF shelf until about 20% of the way in. It was definitely a rocky start. I thought initially I’d somehow picked up a middle-grade novel by mistake, but wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. The pacing was too quick, more for a younger audience with a short attention span than an adult reader. I was shocked when I realized Rose was in her twenties. But it was the talking bear that really had me thinking “middle-grade.” As it goes on you really enjoy Arie and his cameos. He was a fun mystery that kept popping up, but took some getting used to.
We don’t get a full explanation of what the Compass Points are until about 20% of the way into the book, which is far too late. The start is rushed and confusing and left me struggling to get a hold on the characters. It just goes too fast, which is a sad flaw. I wanted to savor different parts of it only to have the rug ripped out from under me. Witt is trying to fit so much content into this one book (according to Amazon it's around 276 pages, so relatively short).
Although some parts leave me feeling a bit shortchanged, it still tells a full story and has a clever plot. Different important points came across well at times, but other times it was very abrupt and almost forced. As if the author had sections she wanted in the book but didn’t know how to bring them about naturally. A number of high points don’t quite hit the epic note the author is trying to achieve. Especially several at the end.
*THERE IS SPICE!* However, the spice also shows up rather abruptly (at least for my taste).
My biggest struggle was that the whole premise we were promised was Rose forging magical weapons. Ever since she leaves the Lake of the Gods at the beginning, all we’ve seen her do is finish an axe that a blacksmith was making, no magic involved whatsoever. However, I feel like her magical weapons will come into play more in book 2, as well as an increase in politics rather than focusing on the romance, which I’m honestly excited for! The ending was less jaw dropping than expected, and leaves you with what seems like more loose ends than you started with, but enough to give you closure to get you to the next book.
There’s so much potential! I struggled between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I’d say it’s on the higher end of a 3.5/5, but not quite a 4. It was really the romance and the quality of the story as it went on that pushes for that 4. It was overall entertaining after the first 20% and I could have easily read it through the night. There were several parts I highlighted I enjoyed it so much! I love what is being built here. There’s so much to explore as we go forward. I can’t wait for more!
Honestly, I thought this was going to go on my DNF shelf until about 20% of the way in. It was definitely a rocky start. I thought initially I’d somehow picked up a middle-grade novel by mistake, but wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. The pacing was too quick, more for a younger audience with a short attention span than an adult reader. I was shocked when I realized Rose was in her twenties. But it was the talking bear that really had me thinking “middle-grade.” As it goes on you really enjoy Arie and his cameos. He was a fun mystery that kept popping up, but took some getting used to.
We don’t get a full explanation of what the Compass Points are until about 20% of the way into the book, which is far too late. The start is rushed and confusing and left me struggling to get a hold on the characters. It just goes too fast, which is a sad flaw. I wanted to savor different parts of it only to have the rug ripped out from under me. Witt is trying to fit so much content into this one book (according to Amazon it's around 276 pages, so relatively short).
Although some parts leave me feeling a bit shortchanged, it still tells a full story and has a clever plot. Different important points came across well at times, but other times it was very abrupt and almost forced. As if the author had sections she wanted in the book but didn’t know how to bring them about naturally. A number of high points don’t quite hit the epic note the author is trying to achieve. Especially several at the end.
*THERE IS SPICE!* However, the spice also shows up rather abruptly (at least for my taste).
My biggest struggle was that the whole premise we were promised was Rose forging magical weapons. Ever since she leaves the Lake of the Gods at the beginning, all we’ve seen her do is finish an axe that a blacksmith was making, no magic involved whatsoever. However, I feel like her magical weapons will come into play more in book 2, as well as an increase in politics rather than focusing on the romance, which I’m honestly excited for! The ending was less jaw dropping than expected, and leaves you with what seems like more loose ends than you started with, but enough to give you closure to get you to the next book.
There’s so much potential! I struggled between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I’d say it’s on the higher end of a 3.5/5, but not quite a 4. It was really the romance and the quality of the story as it went on that pushes for that 4. It was overall entertaining after the first 20% and I could have easily read it through the night. There were several parts I highlighted I enjoyed it so much! I love what is being built here. There’s so much to explore as we go forward. I can’t wait for more!
April 23, 2024
Over the last few months, I have been enjoying more and more fantasy books, usually listening to them as an audiobook. When the opportunity arose for me to listen to Compass Points on audio, I leapt at the chance. Slow to begin with as we are immersed into the world in which Rose lives, the story soon picks up as I become familiar with the characters and their purpose in the fae world.
Compass Lake is the home of the four Compass Points, north, south, east and west. Each worships a different God and each has their own magic. I really enjoyed this one. Rose is one bad-ass-bitch who is determined not to take any shit from anyone. Even when Luc happens upon her in the market, looking for the weapons master, she tries her hardest to remain aloof and independent.
Hats off to Jillian Witt for a great debut novel with loveable characters, fascinating world-building and a truly great story. I loved listening to Kari Hollowell read this. She totally throws herself into each character and I quickly found I knew who was speaking, simply from the voice she was using. Arie, especially, was my favourite. I’m still not sure if he’s a demon, a familiar or simply a shape-shifter, but he has Rose’s back - always - and for that he was the character I was always rooting for. Book 2 in the series is out soon and I can’t wait to see how Rose and Luc’s story progresses.
Thank you to Jillian Witt and Literary Media Tours for the opportunity to listen to and review Compass Points.
Compass Lake is the home of the four Compass Points, north, south, east and west. Each worships a different God and each has their own magic. I really enjoyed this one. Rose is one bad-ass-bitch who is determined not to take any shit from anyone. Even when Luc happens upon her in the market, looking for the weapons master, she tries her hardest to remain aloof and independent.
Hats off to Jillian Witt for a great debut novel with loveable characters, fascinating world-building and a truly great story. I loved listening to Kari Hollowell read this. She totally throws herself into each character and I quickly found I knew who was speaking, simply from the voice she was using. Arie, especially, was my favourite. I’m still not sure if he’s a demon, a familiar or simply a shape-shifter, but he has Rose’s back - always - and for that he was the character I was always rooting for. Book 2 in the series is out soon and I can’t wait to see how Rose and Luc’s story progresses.
Thank you to Jillian Witt and Literary Media Tours for the opportunity to listen to and review Compass Points.
May 6, 2024
Compass Points takes you on a journey into a realm where Rose, a reclusive weapons master with a mysterious past, crafts not just weapons but rumored to be magical ones that draw buyers from distant lands. The delicate existence of Rose's secluded life is disrupted when Luc, a determined representative of the Suden fae court, seeks her expertise to combat a perilous mist plague sweeping across the continent.
The story’s charm blossoms as Rose and Luc embark on a banter-filled adventure and the foundations of the series worldbuilding are carefully crafted to skillfully transform the initially slow start into an epic journey. While the chemistry between the two main characters is a highlight for me, the inner monologue occasionally bogged down otherwise impactful scenes. However, the story’s unique elemental magic system coupled with characters who were fun and wonderful to see together left me excited for book two.
Embark on an whimsical adventure with ‘Compass Points’ where romance sparkles amid captivating heroes and a sprinkle of magic weaves an irresistible spellbinding adventure.
The story’s charm blossoms as Rose and Luc embark on a banter-filled adventure and the foundations of the series worldbuilding are carefully crafted to skillfully transform the initially slow start into an epic journey. While the chemistry between the two main characters is a highlight for me, the inner monologue occasionally bogged down otherwise impactful scenes. However, the story’s unique elemental magic system coupled with characters who were fun and wonderful to see together left me excited for book two.
Embark on an whimsical adventure with ‘Compass Points’ where romance sparkles amid captivating heroes and a sprinkle of magic weaves an irresistible spellbinding adventure.
April 3, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley, for gifting me the change to discover a new author and a great new series!
I truly enjoyed this book. The story is different tham your average romantasy, as in the magic system is unique. The idea of compass point combined with elemental magic was such a nice touch. Also, let me tell me, I just love a great MMC for a change, something who is honest and straighforward (it reminded me of the Witch collector series and why I enjoyed it so much). And I love when MCs are actually honest with each other and we lack the miscommunication trope. Truly a great read and I cannot wait for the next installment!
I truly enjoyed this book. The story is different tham your average romantasy, as in the magic system is unique. The idea of compass point combined with elemental magic was such a nice touch. Also, let me tell me, I just love a great MMC for a change, something who is honest and straighforward (it reminded me of the Witch collector series and why I enjoyed it so much). And I love when MCs are actually honest with each other and we lack the miscommunication trope. Truly a great read and I cannot wait for the next installment!
April 8, 2025
3.5 stars
Audio book and plot detailed review
290 page new adult romantasy set in a world inspired by the United States National Parks (according to author)
Tropes:
💙 Who hurt you
🐾Slow burn
💙 Gods
🐾Elemental magic
💙 hidden identity
⚔️Single PoV
💙 grumpy/sunshine
🐾Dual timeline
💙 Rivals to Lovers
⚔️One bed
💙 Sassy shapeshifting sidekick
🐾Secret lineage
💙 fake dating
💙 Banter
💙 forced proximity
🌶️ Kissing scene(s) and an open-door spice scene with soft, vague sexual language
I loved listening to Kari Hollowell read this. She totally throws herself into each character, she was enjoyable to listen to and captured the emotions and voices of side characters well.
This is my first fae fantasy with fake dating as a trope, and I get it now...
“𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺.”
Compass Points is a deeply charming adventure filled with sassy banter, delicious tension, and whimsical elements to keep you captivated!
I loved the high stakes yet cozy fantasy vibes of this book!
A quick, easy to read and understand fantasy. There was enough world building to justify a short fantasy but with just enough intrigue to make me want to pick up book two. I am almost sad because it could have been a thrilling fantasy with great depth and tension because the author is clearly good enough to create that and yet its been turned into a cozy read. I really hope we dive into more of the magic system and the world building in the next one. Slow to start with an interesting plot idea but like another reviewer said- you could have a drinking game around every time you hear the title! The pacing was on the quicker side once you were half way through but I felt it was well paced overall and suited the type of story it is.
Compass Lake is the home of the four Compass Points, each group of fae worships a different God and each has their own magic.
My favorite character seems to be the same as everyone else's... the sassy animal sidekick Arie, who is the comic relief, voice of logic and agent of mischief
The story is full of fae court intrigue, I found the banter & angsty build of the MMC &FMC relationship really enjoyable. I also enjoyed how we were showed the histories and secrets rather than being told about them, and, the flashbacks were very well written and helped divulge our heroine’s back story without the info dump!
Final Thoughts
Some of my favorite tropes here; fake dating, secret identities, angsty romance, witty banter. Wrapped up with battling a mysterious mist, gods and goddesses, fae court politics and an amazing animal shifter sidekick, you get a great story with a very satisfying ending. I’m eagerly ready to start book number two!
Thank you Jillian Witt via Netgalley for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.
Audio book and plot detailed review
290 page new adult romantasy set in a world inspired by the United States National Parks (according to author)
Tropes:
💙 Who hurt you
🐾Slow burn
💙 Gods
🐾Elemental magic
💙 hidden identity
⚔️Single PoV
💙 grumpy/sunshine
🐾Dual timeline
💙 Rivals to Lovers
⚔️One bed
💙 Sassy shapeshifting sidekick
🐾Secret lineage
💙 fake dating
💙 Banter
💙 forced proximity
🌶️ Kissing scene(s) and an open-door spice scene with soft, vague sexual language
I loved listening to Kari Hollowell read this. She totally throws herself into each character, she was enjoyable to listen to and captured the emotions and voices of side characters well.
This is my first fae fantasy with fake dating as a trope, and I get it now...
“𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺.”
Compass Points is a deeply charming adventure filled with sassy banter, delicious tension, and whimsical elements to keep you captivated!
I loved the high stakes yet cozy fantasy vibes of this book!
A quick, easy to read and understand fantasy. There was enough world building to justify a short fantasy but with just enough intrigue to make me want to pick up book two. I am almost sad because it could have been a thrilling fantasy with great depth and tension because the author is clearly good enough to create that and yet its been turned into a cozy read. I really hope we dive into more of the magic system and the world building in the next one. Slow to start with an interesting plot idea but like another reviewer said- you could have a drinking game around every time you hear the title! The pacing was on the quicker side once you were half way through but I felt it was well paced overall and suited the type of story it is.
Compass Lake is the home of the four Compass Points, each group of fae worships a different God and each has their own magic.
My favorite character seems to be the same as everyone else's... the sassy animal sidekick Arie, who is the comic relief, voice of logic and agent of mischief
The story is full of fae court intrigue, I found the banter & angsty build of the MMC &FMC relationship really enjoyable. I also enjoyed how we were showed the histories and secrets rather than being told about them, and, the flashbacks were very well written and helped divulge our heroine’s back story without the info dump!
Final Thoughts
Some of my favorite tropes here; fake dating, secret identities, angsty romance, witty banter. Wrapped up with battling a mysterious mist, gods and goddesses, fae court politics and an amazing animal shifter sidekick, you get a great story with a very satisfying ending. I’m eagerly ready to start book number two!
Thank you Jillian Witt via Netgalley for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.
November 6, 2023
Rating: 4.5/5
I received eARC for my honest opinion.
OMG, thank you so much Jillian for asking me to review your book, I can not wait to see what book will give us.
This book is about a young woman who has been running from her past and trying to make a new life for herself. However, sometimes fate has a different route for you to take and that is what happened to Rose. With Rose’s abilities to put magic into anything that she forges, she might be the only person who can make a weapon strong enough to fight the mist away. The mist that is plaguing the continent and causing all that come across it to fall into a deep sleep, her, and dashing earth fae (Luc) are forced to fight off the mist and then head to the only place that might have enough magic for Rose to infuse her weapons. The one place that she has vowed to never visit again.
I thought the author did a wonderful job with the world building, the plot, and the characters. I loved the magical system so much, elemental magic (AHHHHHH! I love when magic systems use elemental magic) I thought the author did well with all the attention to details and helping to explain the society of the compass magic users and the roles that they all play, to the reasons why Rose leaves alone and how she has managed to deal with her loss at a young age. However, with this being the first book you really get to know the characters more in this book, before you get down to the why, the who and when of the plot.
I thought the characters were well developed for being the first book and you can see some growth from Rose in this book. I thought Rose's character has a lot of depth to her, from her having to deal with secrets at a young age to having to run from the danger after seeing her parents’ death. I still found Rose to be funny with her banter, smart about who to trust, and one very strong female character. I loved Luc, he was the perfect MMC. He was not pushy, had patience and when he saw something he wanted he knew that he had to wait for it. I also really liked the fact that he was funny as well. I liked the fact that he was honest and was not scared away by what other people thought of him. This book has the best slow burn to romance that I have read in a minute, it was chef’s kiss really.
I do have to say though I loved Arie, I mean who wouldn’t love a shapeshifter that was your own protector and who is funny!
I really can not wait to read the next books from this series, I need them now(lol). If you love fantasy books, with great characters, great plot, slow burn romance, shapeshifting friend, different take on the fae and gods you should pick this book up and read it. I know you won’t be disappointed.
I want to thank Jillian Witt for the opportunity to review this book.
I received eARC for my honest opinion.
OMG, thank you so much Jillian for asking me to review your book, I can not wait to see what book will give us.
This book is about a young woman who has been running from her past and trying to make a new life for herself. However, sometimes fate has a different route for you to take and that is what happened to Rose. With Rose’s abilities to put magic into anything that she forges, she might be the only person who can make a weapon strong enough to fight the mist away. The mist that is plaguing the continent and causing all that come across it to fall into a deep sleep, her, and dashing earth fae (Luc) are forced to fight off the mist and then head to the only place that might have enough magic for Rose to infuse her weapons. The one place that she has vowed to never visit again.
I thought the author did a wonderful job with the world building, the plot, and the characters. I loved the magical system so much, elemental magic (AHHHHHH! I love when magic systems use elemental magic) I thought the author did well with all the attention to details and helping to explain the society of the compass magic users and the roles that they all play, to the reasons why Rose leaves alone and how she has managed to deal with her loss at a young age. However, with this being the first book you really get to know the characters more in this book, before you get down to the why, the who and when of the plot.
I thought the characters were well developed for being the first book and you can see some growth from Rose in this book. I thought Rose's character has a lot of depth to her, from her having to deal with secrets at a young age to having to run from the danger after seeing her parents’ death. I still found Rose to be funny with her banter, smart about who to trust, and one very strong female character. I loved Luc, he was the perfect MMC. He was not pushy, had patience and when he saw something he wanted he knew that he had to wait for it. I also really liked the fact that he was funny as well. I liked the fact that he was honest and was not scared away by what other people thought of him. This book has the best slow burn to romance that I have read in a minute, it was chef’s kiss really.
I do have to say though I loved Arie, I mean who wouldn’t love a shapeshifter that was your own protector and who is funny!
I really can not wait to read the next books from this series, I need them now(lol). If you love fantasy books, with great characters, great plot, slow burn romance, shapeshifting friend, different take on the fae and gods you should pick this book up and read it. I know you won’t be disappointed.
I want to thank Jillian Witt for the opportunity to review this book.
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