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Aether Guardian: The Mark of Shadows
Liberation. Loyalty. Light.
Enter the world of Aether Guardian with the first book of a stunning fantasy series. This tale of magic and danger is perfect for fans of John Flanagan, Christopher Paolini, and Joseph Delaney.
Her power could save the world—if it doesn’t destroy her first.
In the city of Erebus, young women are trained for ten years to become Sisters—elite warriors wielding Aether to protect humanity from the monstrous beasts that roam beyond the city walls. For Cecilia, it’s a chance to prove her worth. But when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden Aether, everything changes.
Branded a heretic. Distrusted by her team. Feared by the very institution that trained her.
Assigned to a squad that barely tolerates her presence, Cecilia must survive grueling missions, master a power no one understands, and unravel the truth behind the High Church’s hidden agendas. As beasts begin to breach the city’s defenses and ancient enemies stir in the shadows, Cecilia and her squad are thrust into a battle far beyond what they trained for.
The world doesn’t want her. But it just might need her.
Enter the world of Aether Guardian with the first book of a stunning fantasy series. This tale of magic and danger is perfect for fans of John Flanagan, Christopher Paolini, and Joseph Delaney.
Her power could save the world—if it doesn’t destroy her first.
In the city of Erebus, young women are trained for ten years to become Sisters—elite warriors wielding Aether to protect humanity from the monstrous beasts that roam beyond the city walls. For Cecilia, it’s a chance to prove her worth. But when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden Aether, everything changes.
Branded a heretic. Distrusted by her team. Feared by the very institution that trained her.
Assigned to a squad that barely tolerates her presence, Cecilia must survive grueling missions, master a power no one understands, and unravel the truth behind the High Church’s hidden agendas. As beasts begin to breach the city’s defenses and ancient enemies stir in the shadows, Cecilia and her squad are thrust into a battle far beyond what they trained for.
The world doesn’t want her. But it just might need her.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 8, 2026
I came across this book and was intrigued by its premise. Liberty, Loyalty and Light. That set the tone from the start for me. The actual writing of Aether Guardian has n edge but also a comforting tone and voice through out the novel. While some story arcs were Straight and Linear, some I wanted more and I hope I get that depth with the second novel. I really enjoyed the thematic undertone and its messaging, especially about the High Church, the power dynamics and a woman who seeming has to reclaim and master. Powerful prose, great pacing, a little long in the tooth worldbuilding but excellent debut for a promising series. I'm forgiving on a person first book if somethings are clunky because the payoff outweighed any nuisances.
As for the action fantasy style, I felt like at times I was reading manga story style which made for a very fun time and experience.
If you're looking for a great relevant adventure-this has my reccomendations.
As for the action fantasy style, I felt like at times I was reading manga story style which made for a very fun time and experience.
If you're looking for a great relevant adventure-this has my reccomendations.
August 15, 2026
I really liked this book. It’s sort of a strange story, but I never had any significant issues while reading it. I wanted to come back each night and I wanted to see where the story went. Maybe I’m just a sucker for this kind of story, but I had a great time reading this one.
Mostly, that was due to the characters. Or really just one character: Cecilia. The other characters played their roles well, but Cecilia really carried this book. She finds herself labeled a heretic by the city she loves, and spends the rest of the story being bullied by the people who ought to have supported her. It’s honestly really sad, but I found it really compelling to read about. I desperately wanted the other characters to realize that she wasn’t some sort of monster, and that tension is enough to carry basically all other aspects of the book. As noted, the other characters are solid as well. I didn’t find any of them particularly special, but they still (generally) felt like real people.
The world where this story takes place is interesting. I sort of wanted it to go a different way, but it’d be too big of a spoiler to say what I mean. I honestly didn’t feel the world got that much depth, but I didn’t mind it either. There was enough there for me to assume there could be more and I never got bogged down by the stuff that was or wasn’t there. The magic was pretty cool though (particularly the aspect that got Cecilia labeled a traitor). This one aspect of the world does get developed a lot (as one might expect), and it was pretty cool to learn alongside the characters.
The plot here gets the job done. It didn’t really stand out, but it allowed the characters to shine, which I suspect was the important part. This plot is basically an inciting incident, a rather long training montage, and a climax. And you know what? It totally worked for me. If Cecilia was less interesting, I suspect the plot would have been a bit meh, but as it was, the plot worked for me. There is more stuff going on in the background that honestly didn’t make much sense (presumably some sequel bait), but it felt interesting enough.
As for issues, I have a few minor ones: There are some “flashbacks” to Cecilia’s previous classes to explain how magic (or other stuff) works, and I found them somewhat uninteresting. They communicated the information, and they were reasonably short, but I feel they could have been done in a more compelling way. Secondly, there is a section where the villains just sort of act cartoonishly evil, which felt somewhat odd. It worked in the context, but I thought it was a little forced. Thirdly, the start is a little slow. There is some worldbuilding that did sort of need to be done, but I felt we could have got to the inciting incident a little faster. It isn’t a big deal, as I’m hardly going to drop the book after a couple of pages, but it could have been tighter. Finally, I think the book should have ended a few pages sooner. I would have liked the heroes to get to enjoy their victory (such as it was) a little more. The actual ending leaned into sequel bait a bit more than I would have liked.
Still, all the noted issues were quite minor, and Cecilia’s story is incredibly compelling (at least for me). I really enjoyed this book, and I’m certainly intrigued to see where the story goes from here. This story keeps things quite clean, but there is still a lot of darkness to explore in here. If you like books that feature a resilient young woman struggling against bullying, bigotry, and giant monsters, I would highly recommend this book.
Mostly, that was due to the characters. Or really just one character: Cecilia. The other characters played their roles well, but Cecilia really carried this book. She finds herself labeled a heretic by the city she loves, and spends the rest of the story being bullied by the people who ought to have supported her. It’s honestly really sad, but I found it really compelling to read about. I desperately wanted the other characters to realize that she wasn’t some sort of monster, and that tension is enough to carry basically all other aspects of the book. As noted, the other characters are solid as well. I didn’t find any of them particularly special, but they still (generally) felt like real people.
The world where this story takes place is interesting. I sort of wanted it to go a different way, but it’d be too big of a spoiler to say what I mean. I honestly didn’t feel the world got that much depth, but I didn’t mind it either. There was enough there for me to assume there could be more and I never got bogged down by the stuff that was or wasn’t there. The magic was pretty cool though (particularly the aspect that got Cecilia labeled a traitor). This one aspect of the world does get developed a lot (as one might expect), and it was pretty cool to learn alongside the characters.
The plot here gets the job done. It didn’t really stand out, but it allowed the characters to shine, which I suspect was the important part. This plot is basically an inciting incident, a rather long training montage, and a climax. And you know what? It totally worked for me. If Cecilia was less interesting, I suspect the plot would have been a bit meh, but as it was, the plot worked for me. There is more stuff going on in the background that honestly didn’t make much sense (presumably some sequel bait), but it felt interesting enough.
As for issues, I have a few minor ones: There are some “flashbacks” to Cecilia’s previous classes to explain how magic (or other stuff) works, and I found them somewhat uninteresting. They communicated the information, and they were reasonably short, but I feel they could have been done in a more compelling way. Secondly, there is a section where the villains just sort of act cartoonishly evil, which felt somewhat odd. It worked in the context, but I thought it was a little forced. Thirdly, the start is a little slow. There is some worldbuilding that did sort of need to be done, but I felt we could have got to the inciting incident a little faster. It isn’t a big deal, as I’m hardly going to drop the book after a couple of pages, but it could have been tighter. Finally, I think the book should have ended a few pages sooner. I would have liked the heroes to get to enjoy their victory (such as it was) a little more. The actual ending leaned into sequel bait a bit more than I would have liked.
Still, all the noted issues were quite minor, and Cecilia’s story is incredibly compelling (at least for me). I really enjoyed this book, and I’m certainly intrigued to see where the story goes from here. This story keeps things quite clean, but there is still a lot of darkness to explore in here. If you like books that feature a resilient young woman struggling against bullying, bigotry, and giant monsters, I would highly recommend this book.
June 23, 2026
A fantastic new young adult fantasy series, where you get tons of sword and shield, fast paced, mentor and student, feared magic, monsters and so much more!
What I love the most is how Joshua is portraiting isolation, anxiety and the hope in being so much more than the main character is believed to be. It's such a pain for the reader, to see how much hate a character is put through for something she doesn't understands why has happened to her.
It took sometime to get used to the main character, as didn't quite connect with her personality at the start. But getting further into the story I fell more in love with her and her passion to prove herself for not only the people who hate her, but for herself as well.
What I hate (with good reason).
Diana! But I also see her a character that will be a loveable and that cares about her closest ones in the future books. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and we will always hate her.... Since I see her as a favorite side character, it's probably gonna be a love/hate situationship.
This is a great start to the series, that was painfull to put away when having to do something else. So I'm really eager to see how the series and the author evolves.
What I love the most is how Joshua is portraiting isolation, anxiety and the hope in being so much more than the main character is believed to be. It's such a pain for the reader, to see how much hate a character is put through for something she doesn't understands why has happened to her.
It took sometime to get used to the main character, as didn't quite connect with her personality at the start. But getting further into the story I fell more in love with her and her passion to prove herself for not only the people who hate her, but for herself as well.
What I hate (with good reason).
Diana! But I also see her a character that will be a loveable and that cares about her closest ones in the future books. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and we will always hate her.... Since I see her as a favorite side character, it's probably gonna be a love/hate situationship.
This is a great start to the series, that was painfull to put away when having to do something else. So I'm really eager to see how the series and the author evolves.
June 19, 2026
A truly wonderful piece of writing, fabulous storyline, good world building and character development, but could still do with some more depth in both.
A fun filled 4-stars story and a series that I plan to continue reading to see how the storyline develops as well as the characters.
A fun filled 4-stars story and a series that I plan to continue reading to see how the storyline develops as well as the characters.
May 20, 2026
This book was quite enjoyable! We started off with the protagonist Cecilia, and gradually got to meet her mentor Lady Elise and teammates Lucy and Diana. I loved getting to know the different personalities of each character and watching them grow throughout the story. This book is perfect for fans of The Rising of the Shield Hero!
“But worrying about what might happen,” said the war-hardened Blade, “will only feed your fear.”
“Focus on what is right in front of you,” Lady Elise continued. “Deal with what is, not what might be. And when the unknown comes…face it. Face it head on.”
“But worrying about what might happen,” said the war-hardened Blade, “will only feed your fear.”
“Focus on what is right in front of you,” Lady Elise continued. “Deal with what is, not what might be. And when the unknown comes…face it. Face it head on.”
January 18, 2026
Aether Guardian is a fantastic start to what is destined to become a beloved series.
The story-telling, the world-building, the sensory detail... all conspire to provide an immersive, fast-paced read.
Our Guardian, Cecilia (you're breakin' my heart!) is well-drawn, realistic, and powerful without knowing it. Her development is steady and sure, her doubts are human and real. Her first glimpses of the corruption that she is bound to serve plant seeds for the future of the series.
Her squad is led by a wise-woman, and includes two mean girls. But the disdain of her two squad-mates only serves to strengthen her resolve.
Highly recommended, and looking forward to the next installment!
The story-telling, the world-building, the sensory detail... all conspire to provide an immersive, fast-paced read.
Our Guardian, Cecilia (you're breakin' my heart!) is well-drawn, realistic, and powerful without knowing it. Her development is steady and sure, her doubts are human and real. Her first glimpses of the corruption that she is bound to serve plant seeds for the future of the series.
Her squad is led by a wise-woman, and includes two mean girls. But the disdain of her two squad-mates only serves to strengthen her resolve.
Highly recommended, and looking forward to the next installment!
February 25, 2026
This was a solid debut by Joshua Bush. The book was enjoyable and the challenges faced and overcome by the FMC were inspiring. I liked the growth Cecilia’ experienced under Lady Elise’s patient mentorship and her never quit/never accept failure attitude in the face of adversity was a main focal point of the story. I feel the real story is just getting started after the exhilarating events at the end of the book so we’ll see where Cecilia’s journey takes us going forward.
July 18, 2026
You can FEEL the main character’s struggle
Loved the magic system in this story, and there were no quick fixes or easy answers for the characters. I ached with the main character as she slogged her way through training, and I was drawn in by the political intrigue playing out through her story. I look forward to the sequel!
Loved the magic system in this story, and there were no quick fixes or easy answers for the characters. I ached with the main character as she slogged her way through training, and I was drawn in by the political intrigue playing out through her story. I look forward to the sequel!
January 29, 2026
Before I begin, a brief disclaimer (with permission from the author): Joshua Bush has used generative A.I. concept art on his social media posts regarding this debut novel, and on his website. That said, he also shared the verifiable name of the cover designer he worked with on Reedsy for the actual cover and also, without my prompting, his editor as well. I have no reason, then, to believe A.I. was used in the creation of the book itself.
Okay, on with my review!
A SHONEN-LIKE BLAST THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR SOMETHING AMAZING!
Pretty early on in my read of this book, I knew what comps I could give if someone were to ask about Aether Guardian - it reads like a mix of RWBY and Naruto, sometimes a little much but for the most part, it just made it really freakin' fun!
We follow our POV character, Cecilia, as graduation day arrives. She's going to become one of the Sisters, you see. The elite, female warriors of the city of Erebus, defenders of humanity against the monstrous evils lurking beyond the safety of their walls.
Only, graduation day doesn't quite go to plan when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden power that changes everything.
From there on every move she makes is watched and measured, and literally EVERYONE except maybe her mysterious, powerful teacher is either afraid of her or hates her. Probably both.
Honestly, it was just a really good time. The story choices made weren't necessarily anything new or unique, but what it does it does very well! It hooked me in the same way as the comp titles I gave did. Great, cinematic action sequences, a simple to understand and scale magic system, and that underdog prove-them-wrong backbone that almost everyone loves.
Ultimately, The Mark of Shadows - the first installment of Aether Guardian - is a strong launching point for the series to come, though it does suffer a bit from "set-upitis" as it devotes a lot of time in a relatively short page count to developing the squads, powers, world history and more.
I am very much looking forward to seeing where things go from here!
Okay, on with my review!
A SHONEN-LIKE BLAST THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR SOMETHING AMAZING!
Pretty early on in my read of this book, I knew what comps I could give if someone were to ask about Aether Guardian - it reads like a mix of RWBY and Naruto, sometimes a little much but for the most part, it just made it really freakin' fun!
We follow our POV character, Cecilia, as graduation day arrives. She's going to become one of the Sisters, you see. The elite, female warriors of the city of Erebus, defenders of humanity against the monstrous evils lurking beyond the safety of their walls.
Only, graduation day doesn't quite go to plan when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden power that changes everything.
From there on every move she makes is watched and measured, and literally EVERYONE except maybe her mysterious, powerful teacher is either afraid of her or hates her. Probably both.
Honestly, it was just a really good time. The story choices made weren't necessarily anything new or unique, but what it does it does very well! It hooked me in the same way as the comp titles I gave did. Great, cinematic action sequences, a simple to understand and scale magic system, and that underdog prove-them-wrong backbone that almost everyone loves.
Ultimately, The Mark of Shadows - the first installment of Aether Guardian - is a strong launching point for the series to come, though it does suffer a bit from "set-upitis" as it devotes a lot of time in a relatively short page count to developing the squads, powers, world history and more.
I am very much looking forward to seeing where things go from here!
May 29, 2026
This is a very good debut novel and a brilliant start to the series. The battle scenes and action were well descriptive and I felt very immersed in the battle. I enjoyed the corrupt politics going on behind the scenes and how things might be manipulated to test our main character.
One thing I didn't like as much was the lack of outside the city action/missions. I understand this is the first book in a series and it would be more building the world and getting to know the characters but it felt like a training montage. Again I understand they need to learn their powers but having read the prequel short story (on the hunt) and the battle scene later on in this book, the author shows he can do action very well so I needed more!
With how it ends I'm very excited to read more in this series and by Joshua Bush. Very enjoyable
One thing I didn't like as much was the lack of outside the city action/missions. I understand this is the first book in a series and it would be more building the world and getting to know the characters but it felt like a training montage. Again I understand they need to learn their powers but having read the prequel short story (on the hunt) and the battle scene later on in this book, the author shows he can do action very well so I needed more!
With how it ends I'm very excited to read more in this series and by Joshua Bush. Very enjoyable
May 29, 2026
SHEILD UP!
This one was a good one! The magic is intense. There is a lot to it. Which i will admit can make the plot drag on. HOWEVER, characters are awesome, the world is cool and the fights are EPIC. The end had me at the edge of my seat. Looking forward to the next book!
This one was a good one! The magic is intense. There is a lot to it. Which i will admit can make the plot drag on. HOWEVER, characters are awesome, the world is cool and the fights are EPIC. The end had me at the edge of my seat. Looking forward to the next book!
May 23, 2026
I read an ARC of Aether Guardian in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll start by saying I’m generally not a huge hard magic system person. I understand the appeal, but personally I prefer magic to feel a little more mysterious and unknowable. Here, the magic is very structured and mathematical. Some readers will absolutely love that level of detail. Others, maybe not as much (Brandon Sanderson has made a whole career on it).
At first, I honestly wasn’t sure this book was going to click with me. Cecilia didn’t immediately grab me, and some of the early dialogue felt a little unnatural. Lines like: “Ever since my mother brought me to this city as a baby, this day joining the sisterhood has meant everything to me” stood out in a way that pulled me out of the story a bit.
But somewhere along the way, the book really found its footing and pulled me in. The worldbuilding became the big standout for me, especially the monsters, which were easily my favourite part of the whole thing. There’s a real sense of danger and mystery around them, and honestly I wanted even more.
Cecilia’s journey toward self-confidence worked well too. Watching her struggle to learn alongside the other students while slowly realising her abilities don’t function the same way was compelling, especially once the story started revealing why. Trying not to spoil anything there, because that aspect becomes much more interesting as the book goes on.
Some side characters worked better for me than others. Lucy and Diana in particular really tested my patience. They felt very much like “standard fantasy bullies,” and after a while it became obvious their main role was to highlight how different Cecilia is.
Still, this is a really solid debut. If you love hard magic systems, I can see this being a huge hit for you. And even if you’re more like me and lean toward character-driven fantasy, there’s still a lot here to enjoy. Especially if the promise of cool monsters gets your attention as quickly as it got mine.
I’ll start by saying I’m generally not a huge hard magic system person. I understand the appeal, but personally I prefer magic to feel a little more mysterious and unknowable. Here, the magic is very structured and mathematical. Some readers will absolutely love that level of detail. Others, maybe not as much (Brandon Sanderson has made a whole career on it).
At first, I honestly wasn’t sure this book was going to click with me. Cecilia didn’t immediately grab me, and some of the early dialogue felt a little unnatural. Lines like: “Ever since my mother brought me to this city as a baby, this day joining the sisterhood has meant everything to me” stood out in a way that pulled me out of the story a bit.
But somewhere along the way, the book really found its footing and pulled me in. The worldbuilding became the big standout for me, especially the monsters, which were easily my favourite part of the whole thing. There’s a real sense of danger and mystery around them, and honestly I wanted even more.
Cecilia’s journey toward self-confidence worked well too. Watching her struggle to learn alongside the other students while slowly realising her abilities don’t function the same way was compelling, especially once the story started revealing why. Trying not to spoil anything there, because that aspect becomes much more interesting as the book goes on.
Some side characters worked better for me than others. Lucy and Diana in particular really tested my patience. They felt very much like “standard fantasy bullies,” and after a while it became obvious their main role was to highlight how different Cecilia is.
Still, this is a really solid debut. If you love hard magic systems, I can see this being a huge hit for you. And even if you’re more like me and lean toward character-driven fantasy, there’s still a lot here to enjoy. Especially if the promise of cool monsters gets your attention as quickly as it got mine.
January 17, 2026
This book is really polished for an indie debut. I loved all of it. Great characters, immersive descriptions, excellent pacing. This author knows what he's doing! I can't wait to read another one! I left the story wanting more.
November 9, 2025
I had the privilege of being able to read the ARC a few months ago. This was a good beginning to this fantasy world. I like a story that keeps me interested and wanting to come back for more. This book had enough mystery and intrigue to do that for me. And with this being this writer's first book I can only see the storyline coming together and getting better throughout the series. I look forward to more Aether Guardian!
January 7, 2026
A New and Exciting World
Aether Guardian is a very fun read! Following the main character, Cecelia, as she overcomes internal and external forces is engaging, especially as she strives to be her best when everyone around her wants to see her fail. This book does a great job of establishing the characters, setting, and stakes of the world, which I am excited to see grow in future books!
Aether Guardian is a very fun read! Following the main character, Cecelia, as she overcomes internal and external forces is engaging, especially as she strives to be her best when everyone around her wants to see her fail. This book does a great job of establishing the characters, setting, and stakes of the world, which I am excited to see grow in future books!
June 16, 2026
What caught me the most was the magic system. The characters we follow in the story are mostly women within the Sisterhood. There are different levels from novices, to Sisters, Knights and eventually Swordmasters.
They gain Soul Stones that allow them to connect with and wield Aether. The description and action of Aether in use was really intriguing but it was only part of the magic system. For those trainees who had yet to become Sisters, they used rune stones that allowed them to channel Aether in a limited capacity.
This world was built with other touches of this magic, such as light stones for illumination. I love me a good magical system within the world building.
The story is set mostly in the city of Erebus, which is ruled over by the High Church. As well as the Sisterhood there is also the Regiment. Though mostly within this first book, everything focuses on the Sisters, specifically four characters. I am hoping to learn more about the High Church and the Regiment in the later books.
This is written in 3rd person, which is always my preference. However, there was a lot of head-hopping as we got into the middle to later chapters. These weren't broken up by hard breaks or chapters, so often within a single chapter and scene we end up in several characters' heads.
I personally find this jarring as it can pull me out of the story while I work out who's thoughts I'm now reading. I would have liked the POV shifts to have been separated out more.
Cecilia is the main character and I really like how she sees herself as well as how she's perceived by others. Things change after her Soul Stone is revealed and how she reacts to it adds a nice dimension to her characters.
She has a quiet strength rather than a 'sassy-ass-kicking' personality', which has been dominating a lot of fantasy stories of late (in my opinion). It was a nice change that I really liked.
The middle of the book does slow down a lot, however, it works quite nicely. It is mostly dealing with Cecilia training to use her Soul Stone and struggling badly. She is further behind that the other Sisters and there is a repetition of scenes. This works because it helps the reader feel that growing frustration and struggle as she tries to get the Aether to work for her.
There was some intrigue thrown in along with a shift in dynamics after Cecilia receives her Soul Stone which connects to the forbidden Aether. Seeing how people viewed her made me feel really sorry for her.
One thing that didn't work for me, was the dialogue that included all the noises. For example, if a character hissed, sighed or gasped - the sound was written into the actual dialogue as well as the prose. This is a personal preference, but I prefer when such noises are just written into the prose only as I find it breaks the reading flow.
Towards the end the action builds up fast and the description of the fight scenes is mostly clear so you can get a good mental picture. Would definitely make a great movie action scene!
I enjoyed the character growth, and look forward to seeing them develop more in the next book. It was really fun reading a heavily-female cast of characters, each with their own distinct voice and personality.
They gain Soul Stones that allow them to connect with and wield Aether. The description and action of Aether in use was really intriguing but it was only part of the magic system. For those trainees who had yet to become Sisters, they used rune stones that allowed them to channel Aether in a limited capacity.
This world was built with other touches of this magic, such as light stones for illumination. I love me a good magical system within the world building.
The story is set mostly in the city of Erebus, which is ruled over by the High Church. As well as the Sisterhood there is also the Regiment. Though mostly within this first book, everything focuses on the Sisters, specifically four characters. I am hoping to learn more about the High Church and the Regiment in the later books.
This is written in 3rd person, which is always my preference. However, there was a lot of head-hopping as we got into the middle to later chapters. These weren't broken up by hard breaks or chapters, so often within a single chapter and scene we end up in several characters' heads.
I personally find this jarring as it can pull me out of the story while I work out who's thoughts I'm now reading. I would have liked the POV shifts to have been separated out more.
Cecilia is the main character and I really like how she sees herself as well as how she's perceived by others. Things change after her Soul Stone is revealed and how she reacts to it adds a nice dimension to her characters.
She has a quiet strength rather than a 'sassy-ass-kicking' personality', which has been dominating a lot of fantasy stories of late (in my opinion). It was a nice change that I really liked.
The middle of the book does slow down a lot, however, it works quite nicely. It is mostly dealing with Cecilia training to use her Soul Stone and struggling badly. She is further behind that the other Sisters and there is a repetition of scenes. This works because it helps the reader feel that growing frustration and struggle as she tries to get the Aether to work for her.
There was some intrigue thrown in along with a shift in dynamics after Cecilia receives her Soul Stone which connects to the forbidden Aether. Seeing how people viewed her made me feel really sorry for her.
One thing that didn't work for me, was the dialogue that included all the noises. For example, if a character hissed, sighed or gasped - the sound was written into the actual dialogue as well as the prose. This is a personal preference, but I prefer when such noises are just written into the prose only as I find it breaks the reading flow.
Towards the end the action builds up fast and the description of the fight scenes is mostly clear so you can get a good mental picture. Would definitely make a great movie action scene!
I enjoyed the character growth, and look forward to seeing them develop more in the next book. It was really fun reading a heavily-female cast of characters, each with their own distinct voice and personality.
June 12, 2026
I’ll start by saying what a fun time I had reading this novel. For me, a fantasy novel needs to hook me early on, and this one did exactly that. From then on, the pacing is what really sold me. I never felt like any part dragged or became too intense. There was a strong sense of balance throughout, and I commend Joshua for that.
The story felt refreshingly unique while still carrying a warm sense of familiarity in its arc, something I think most readers will find satisfying. I’m also a sucker for a good mentor relationship, and I really enjoyed discovering who Lady Elise truly was. Definitely give it a read!
The story felt refreshingly unique while still carrying a warm sense of familiarity in its arc, something I think most readers will find satisfying. I’m also a sucker for a good mentor relationship, and I really enjoyed discovering who Lady Elise truly was. Definitely give it a read!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews