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Daughters of Auquis #1
Daughter of the Dark
Not yet published
Expected 15 Sep 26DELUXE features a stunning foil accented cover, designed endpapers, and a hidden case stamp!
A Traitor's Daughter, the Demons' Slayer... the City's Only Hope.
For Solana, survival has always meant staying sharp—and staying alone. With a blood-forged dagger as her only inheritance, she’s made herself Supay’s fiercest demon slayer, hunting muki—monsters born from human death—through the kingdom’s streets.
But the work comes with a curse of its every body she leaves behind swells the muki’s ranks. The city that raised her has been her cage for so long she’s stopped believing freedom is real.
Then a twist of fate drags her into the palace and crowns her Royal Demon Slayer, a title wrapped in silk and sharpened like a blade. The magic is dazzling. The secrets are darker. And whatever is poisoning Supay didn’t start in the alleys. It started behind gilded doors.
Worst of all is Reyes, the king's right-hand man, a captain of the Masters, and her personal torturer turned mentor who's dangerously hard to resist. Wanting him is a mistake. Trusting him could be fatal.
Because if Solana walks away, the kingdom falls. And if she stays, she may have to become the monster Supay needs.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A Traitor's Daughter, the Demons' Slayer... the City's Only Hope.
For Solana, survival has always meant staying sharp—and staying alone. With a blood-forged dagger as her only inheritance, she’s made herself Supay’s fiercest demon slayer, hunting muki—monsters born from human death—through the kingdom’s streets.
But the work comes with a curse of its every body she leaves behind swells the muki’s ranks. The city that raised her has been her cage for so long she’s stopped believing freedom is real.
Then a twist of fate drags her into the palace and crowns her Royal Demon Slayer, a title wrapped in silk and sharpened like a blade. The magic is dazzling. The secrets are darker. And whatever is poisoning Supay didn’t start in the alleys. It started behind gilded doors.
Worst of all is Reyes, the king's right-hand man, a captain of the Masters, and her personal torturer turned mentor who's dangerously hard to resist. Wanting him is a mistake. Trusting him could be fatal.
Because if Solana walks away, the kingdom falls. And if she stays, she may have to become the monster Supay needs.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 15, 2026
About the author
R.J. Valldeperas
3 books204 followersRJ is a Peruvian/Venezuelan writer from Florida, where she lives with her husband, five children, three goats and nine chickens. When she’s not playing chauffeur or chef, she spends her time creating stories steeped in culture with characters who look just like her, or she’s shirking all responsibility to escape into the pages of someone else’s world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✨ 3.75/5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really solid fantasy debut that kept me invested from beginning to end. I was immediately drawn into the world, and I loved how the author blended political intrigue, magic, and mythology together. The found family moments were easily some of my favorites, and I appreciated how much heart they added to the story.
My biggest issue was that I wanted more time with everything. There were so many interesting ideas that I felt like the story moved through them a little too quickly. I found myself wishing the world-building had been explored in more detail, especially when it came to the magic and the history behind everything. There were a few moments where I had to stop and piece together what was happening.
The romance was enjoyable, but I never felt as emotionally invested in it as I wanted to. I think giving those relationships a little more room to breathe would have made the emotional moments hit even harder.
The audiobook was well done and made it easy to stay immersed in the story. The narrator captured the atmosphere really well and kept me engaged throughout.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique world and a lot of potential. Even though I had a few issues with the pacing and wanted more depth in certain areas, I’m definitely interested in reading whatever R.J. Valldeperas writes next. I’d happily pick up another book set in this world.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really solid fantasy debut that kept me invested from beginning to end. I was immediately drawn into the world, and I loved how the author blended political intrigue, magic, and mythology together. The found family moments were easily some of my favorites, and I appreciated how much heart they added to the story.
My biggest issue was that I wanted more time with everything. There were so many interesting ideas that I felt like the story moved through them a little too quickly. I found myself wishing the world-building had been explored in more detail, especially when it came to the magic and the history behind everything. There were a few moments where I had to stop and piece together what was happening.
The romance was enjoyable, but I never felt as emotionally invested in it as I wanted to. I think giving those relationships a little more room to breathe would have made the emotional moments hit even harder.
The audiobook was well done and made it easy to stay immersed in the story. The narrator captured the atmosphere really well and kept me engaged throughout.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique world and a lot of potential. Even though I had a few issues with the pacing and wanted more depth in certain areas, I’m definitely interested in reading whatever R.J. Valldeperas writes next. I’d happily pick up another book set in this world.
arc-tbr
January 2, 2026Yeahhhh. I need this. Big time.
April 7, 2026
I love a good "Daughter of" story, and I really hope this finds an audience that loves it.
The cover is beautiful.
I found this to be very similar to Throne of Glass!
The cover is beautiful.
I found this to be very similar to Throne of Glass!
August 5, 2026
[3.5]
daughter of the dark is a gorgeous peruvian inspired romantasy which follows solana, a demon hunter with a unique gift that allows her to feel the demons in their suffering as she doles out her killing strike. but when she's bought to the king and given the fancy title of demon slayer, she falls into the web of the royals and their secrets, why do they know more about solana's gift than she does? and could she be the answer to the curse that plagues the world?
I thought that the writing and world building here was fantastic, I loved the exploration of the afterlife in here, of the reality of the demons or muki as they're called in the novel. the writing also really helped with brining the world to life for me, from the mouth watering descriptions of the peruvian food, to the cramped alleys that solana grew up in and then later to the extravagance of the castle. and while the world building and magic system felt unique, I wish we spent a bit more time behind the mythology that was inspired from peruvian culture but overall I thought it super creative.
I also really loved solana as a female main character, she was strong and bit stubborn but ultimately she cared for her people. I felt a lot for her when she talked about her responsibility to keep everyone safe, how things like love and joy were not meant for her because she took it upon herself to be a protector.
the supporting cast of characters were charming and inclusive!!! we had lesbians!!! and a deaf character!!! the romance in this was also soooo good!!! I loved the tension between her and reyes, the other demon hunter in the kings employ. the found family trope was sweet and allowed solana to grow as a character and realize that people loving her and her loving them back does not mean the end of the world.
while I vastly enjoyed my time with this, I did have some pacing issues mainly when it came to the romance. it felt like their relationship was fast forwarded at times, I would loved some more time so that their chemistry could have felt more momentous. but given the short page count I think the author did a good enough job with jam packing those heartfelt moments between the two, from the lingering touches to the bickering up until their first kiss.
it's not super clear to me if this is the first in a series because I thought that the ending wrapped up quite nicely, there wasn't any cliffhangers and the main conflict of the novel was resolved. but I had a good time while reading and will be checking out more things by this author.
*thank you netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
daughter of the dark is a gorgeous peruvian inspired romantasy which follows solana, a demon hunter with a unique gift that allows her to feel the demons in their suffering as she doles out her killing strike. but when she's bought to the king and given the fancy title of demon slayer, she falls into the web of the royals and their secrets, why do they know more about solana's gift than she does? and could she be the answer to the curse that plagues the world?
I thought that the writing and world building here was fantastic, I loved the exploration of the afterlife in here, of the reality of the demons or muki as they're called in the novel. the writing also really helped with brining the world to life for me, from the mouth watering descriptions of the peruvian food, to the cramped alleys that solana grew up in and then later to the extravagance of the castle. and while the world building and magic system felt unique, I wish we spent a bit more time behind the mythology that was inspired from peruvian culture but overall I thought it super creative.
I also really loved solana as a female main character, she was strong and bit stubborn but ultimately she cared for her people. I felt a lot for her when she talked about her responsibility to keep everyone safe, how things like love and joy were not meant for her because she took it upon herself to be a protector.
the supporting cast of characters were charming and inclusive!!! we had lesbians!!! and a deaf character!!! the romance in this was also soooo good!!! I loved the tension between her and reyes, the other demon hunter in the kings employ. the found family trope was sweet and allowed solana to grow as a character and realize that people loving her and her loving them back does not mean the end of the world.
while I vastly enjoyed my time with this, I did have some pacing issues mainly when it came to the romance. it felt like their relationship was fast forwarded at times, I would loved some more time so that their chemistry could have felt more momentous. but given the short page count I think the author did a good enough job with jam packing those heartfelt moments between the two, from the lingering touches to the bickering up until their first kiss.
it's not super clear to me if this is the first in a series because I thought that the ending wrapped up quite nicely, there wasn't any cliffhangers and the main conflict of the novel was resolved. but I had a good time while reading and will be checking out more things by this author.
*thank you netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
June 25, 2026
I received an advanced reader copy of Daughter of the Dark by R.J. Valldeparas through Goodreads, and I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book honestly.
Daughter of the Dark follows Solana, an outcast and feared demon slayer whose life has been defined by survival and solitude. Armed with a blood-forged dagger and burdened by a dangerous legacy, she hunts the muki—creatures born from human death—in the kingdom of Supay. When an unexpected twist of fate brings her into the royal court, Solana finds herself entangled in political intrigue, family secrets, questions about her past, and an uneasy relationship with Reyes, the king’s formidable right-hand man. Drawing heavily from Peruvian culture and mythology, the novel blends fantasy, romance, and themes of identity, sacrifice, and destiny.
The premise itself immediately grabbed my attention, and I truly believe the foundation of this story is strong. The world, the magic system, and the concept of a demon slayer being forced into a position of power all had so much potential, and I appreciated the author’s ambition in creating something inspired by Peruvian culture and folklore.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite come together for me.
My biggest struggle was the pacing. It took until nearly the halfway point for the action to truly begin, and by that point I found it difficult to fully connect with either the story or the characters. While I appreciated the inclusion of Peruvian traditions and cultural references, there were moments where they felt somewhat disconnected from the central narrative rather than enhancing it in a meaningful or immersive way.
I also didn’t find myself invested in the romance between Reyes and Solana. As someone who loves romantasy and especially enemies-to-lovers stories, I was hoping for more tension, chemistry, and a stronger emotional buildup. Instead, their relationship felt underdeveloped, and I never quite felt the suspense or payoff that I usually look for in that trope.
For me, the story also suffered from trying to juggle too many themes and plotlines at once. Between Solana’s identity as an outcast, the mysteries surrounding her parents, Sami’s storyline, opportunities for a different life, betrayals, family secrets, political conflicts, and the larger battles at the heart of the story, it often felt like there wasn’t enough space for any one element to fully breathe. By the time the major climactic moments arrived, they unfortunately felt less impactful than I had hoped.
That being said, there were definitely things I enjoyed. Solana’s character development was one of the highlights for me. Watching her grow, question what she believed, and come into her own was rewarding, and I appreciated her resilience and the personal victories she achieved throughout her journey. I found myself rooting for her and celebrating the moments where she embraced her own strength and identity.
Ultimately, Daughter of the Dark had many of the ingredients of a book I should have loved, but I think the abundance of ideas and themes prevented the story from reaching its full potential. Even so, I admire the creativity behind the worldbuilding and the effort to bring Peruvian-inspired fantasy to readers. I’m grateful to have received this ARC and to have experienced Solana’s story, even if it wasn’t the right fit for me personally. I have no doubt that readers who enjoy richly layered fantasy worlds and multiple intertwining storylines may connect with it more than I did.
Daughter of the Dark follows Solana, an outcast and feared demon slayer whose life has been defined by survival and solitude. Armed with a blood-forged dagger and burdened by a dangerous legacy, she hunts the muki—creatures born from human death—in the kingdom of Supay. When an unexpected twist of fate brings her into the royal court, Solana finds herself entangled in political intrigue, family secrets, questions about her past, and an uneasy relationship with Reyes, the king’s formidable right-hand man. Drawing heavily from Peruvian culture and mythology, the novel blends fantasy, romance, and themes of identity, sacrifice, and destiny.
The premise itself immediately grabbed my attention, and I truly believe the foundation of this story is strong. The world, the magic system, and the concept of a demon slayer being forced into a position of power all had so much potential, and I appreciated the author’s ambition in creating something inspired by Peruvian culture and folklore.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite come together for me.
My biggest struggle was the pacing. It took until nearly the halfway point for the action to truly begin, and by that point I found it difficult to fully connect with either the story or the characters. While I appreciated the inclusion of Peruvian traditions and cultural references, there were moments where they felt somewhat disconnected from the central narrative rather than enhancing it in a meaningful or immersive way.
I also didn’t find myself invested in the romance between Reyes and Solana. As someone who loves romantasy and especially enemies-to-lovers stories, I was hoping for more tension, chemistry, and a stronger emotional buildup. Instead, their relationship felt underdeveloped, and I never quite felt the suspense or payoff that I usually look for in that trope.
For me, the story also suffered from trying to juggle too many themes and plotlines at once. Between Solana’s identity as an outcast, the mysteries surrounding her parents, Sami’s storyline, opportunities for a different life, betrayals, family secrets, political conflicts, and the larger battles at the heart of the story, it often felt like there wasn’t enough space for any one element to fully breathe. By the time the major climactic moments arrived, they unfortunately felt less impactful than I had hoped.
That being said, there were definitely things I enjoyed. Solana’s character development was one of the highlights for me. Watching her grow, question what she believed, and come into her own was rewarding, and I appreciated her resilience and the personal victories she achieved throughout her journey. I found myself rooting for her and celebrating the moments where she embraced her own strength and identity.
Ultimately, Daughter of the Dark had many of the ingredients of a book I should have loved, but I think the abundance of ideas and themes prevented the story from reaching its full potential. Even so, I admire the creativity behind the worldbuilding and the effort to bring Peruvian-inspired fantasy to readers. I’m grateful to have received this ARC and to have experienced Solana’s story, even if it wasn’t the right fit for me personally. I have no doubt that readers who enjoy richly layered fantasy worlds and multiple intertwining storylines may connect with it more than I did.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review!
Wait this was so much fun! I think the paranormal romance girls who loved Buffy, Half City (but with Latine influences), or A Vow in Vengeance will love this book. I'm not sure if it is the start of a series or not, but it does read as an excellent standalone fantasy.
Wait this was so much fun! I think the paranormal romance girls who loved Buffy, Half City (but with Latine influences), or A Vow in Vengeance will love this book. I'm not sure if it is the start of a series or not, but it does read as an excellent standalone fantasy.
August 4, 2026
I received an eARC from Tor Publishing Group and an ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Summary: This was an immersive read/listen with phenomenal narration, and I enjoyed the Buffy coded atmosphere and world. Unfortunately, the character work didn't land for me. The story relied on several romantasy tropes I'm personally burned out on, the pacing was slow, and I struggled to connect with the characters or romance because they lacked the emotional depth I was looking for.
I had an immersive read/listen and really enjoyed the audiobook experience. Gisela Chipe was phenomenal! She completely brought the story to life. There were several words I wasn't sure how to pronounce, so having Gisela's narration really enhanced the experience.
I also loved the Buffy-coded vibes throughout the story. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of my favorite shows growing up, so those influences were a fun highlight. I like that the characters had growth, there was found family, and an HEA.
That said, I was quickly disappointed by how many overly used romantasy tropes appeared right away. We had the poor, "chosen one" heroine who was destined to save everyone because she was super special, and her mother had died. While there's nothing inherently wrong with these tropes, they're so common in the genre right now that they've become difficult for me to get excited about.
My biggest issue, though, was the MFC. I completely understand that her character arc was intentionally written this way and that many readers will appreciate her journey. It just isn't the type of character development I enjoy reading. She was incredibly stubborn, to the point of ignorance, avoidant, impulsive, and rigidly closed off. She constantly lied, judged everyone around her, and had a very stabby, sassy personality that often crossed into hypocrisy for me. I am not sure there was really a big difference between this MFC and Celeaena from TOG by SJM. They were nearly the same person. Once I finished this book, I read other reviews and someone else said the same thing. Again, I know others enjoy this character and development, it is just not one that I enjoy..
In regards to hypocrisy, there were multiple moments where the MFC criticized other characters for behaviors she was actively displaying herself. She was upset after someone tricked her, even though she had been planning to steal from him herself. She judged the MMC for keeping secrets while she CONSTANTLY lied throughout the entire book. She didn't want people judging her because of who her father was, yet she immediately judged the MMC because of his. Those double standards made it very difficult for me to root for her. One of my favorite moments was when Suri called the MFC out for all of her assumptions and judgments of them. I loved seeing someone finally challenge her perspective. The MMC also frequently called her out, which was excellent to push the MFC to start growing. Unfortunately, even after being confronted, she continued lying to herself and everyone around her, so I never felt like enough growth happened by the end.
Further, the MFC's treatment of her best friend was awful. She was honest with him that she didn't return his feelings and told him to be independent of her, which I appreciated, but she still enjoyed the attention he gave her and, so, she kept him emotionally attached. Then, her only way to really stop their unhealthy relationship was to be mean and hurt him. All of this didn't sit well with me.
Because the MFC's personality remained so consistent, her actions and the plot were very predictable. Whenever she needed help or had an opportunity to be vulnerable, I knew she would pull away, lie, lash out, or refuse to communicate. And, of course, she didn't admit her feelings until after the MMC was hurt.
I also wasn't a fan of the MMC. He never really apologized for his terrible behavior (torture). He later saw the MFC for who she was and supported her, which was beautiful, but he did not own what he had done. Also, I hated how quickly the MMC doubted the MFC over a single incident, he did not give her the benefit of the doubt. Miscommunication and immediate distrust are tropes I rarely enjoy, and this was another example where it didn't work for me. I would likely have more to write about the MMC and my dislike, but there was really nothing given to us readers about him in general. There was so much lacking.
The pacing was extremely slow for a large portion of the book. Another struggle was the lack of emotional depth. I had just finished a book with incredibly mature, layered characters, which I loved. This book was very surface level. I never truly felt like I knew these characters, especially the MMC. Because of this, I didn't believe the romance. When the MFC said "I love you," it didn't feel earned. After finishing, I looked through other reviews and found that this seemed to be a fairly common sentiment.
Honestly, had this book not been an ALC/ARC, I honestly think I would have DNF'd book.
Summary: This was an immersive read/listen with phenomenal narration, and I enjoyed the Buffy coded atmosphere and world. Unfortunately, the character work didn't land for me. The story relied on several romantasy tropes I'm personally burned out on, the pacing was slow, and I struggled to connect with the characters or romance because they lacked the emotional depth I was looking for.
I had an immersive read/listen and really enjoyed the audiobook experience. Gisela Chipe was phenomenal! She completely brought the story to life. There were several words I wasn't sure how to pronounce, so having Gisela's narration really enhanced the experience.
I also loved the Buffy-coded vibes throughout the story. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of my favorite shows growing up, so those influences were a fun highlight. I like that the characters had growth, there was found family, and an HEA.
That said, I was quickly disappointed by how many overly used romantasy tropes appeared right away. We had the poor, "chosen one" heroine who was destined to save everyone because she was super special, and her mother had died. While there's nothing inherently wrong with these tropes, they're so common in the genre right now that they've become difficult for me to get excited about.
My biggest issue, though, was the MFC. I completely understand that her character arc was intentionally written this way and that many readers will appreciate her journey. It just isn't the type of character development I enjoy reading. She was incredibly stubborn, to the point of ignorance, avoidant, impulsive, and rigidly closed off. She constantly lied, judged everyone around her, and had a very stabby, sassy personality that often crossed into hypocrisy for me. I am not sure there was really a big difference between this MFC and Celeaena from TOG by SJM. They were nearly the same person. Once I finished this book, I read other reviews and someone else said the same thing. Again, I know others enjoy this character and development, it is just not one that I enjoy..
In regards to hypocrisy, there were multiple moments where the MFC criticized other characters for behaviors she was actively displaying herself. She was upset after someone tricked her, even though she had been planning to steal from him herself. She judged the MMC for keeping secrets while she CONSTANTLY lied throughout the entire book. She didn't want people judging her because of who her father was, yet she immediately judged the MMC because of his. Those double standards made it very difficult for me to root for her. One of my favorite moments was when Suri called the MFC out for all of her assumptions and judgments of them. I loved seeing someone finally challenge her perspective. The MMC also frequently called her out, which was excellent to push the MFC to start growing. Unfortunately, even after being confronted, she continued lying to herself and everyone around her, so I never felt like enough growth happened by the end.
Further, the MFC's treatment of her best friend was awful. She was honest with him that she didn't return his feelings and told him to be independent of her, which I appreciated, but she still enjoyed the attention he gave her and, so, she kept him emotionally attached. Then, her only way to really stop their unhealthy relationship was to be mean and hurt him. All of this didn't sit well with me.
Because the MFC's personality remained so consistent, her actions and the plot were very predictable. Whenever she needed help or had an opportunity to be vulnerable, I knew she would pull away, lie, lash out, or refuse to communicate. And, of course, she didn't admit her feelings until after the MMC was hurt.
I also wasn't a fan of the MMC. He never really apologized for his terrible behavior (torture). He later saw the MFC for who she was and supported her, which was beautiful, but he did not own what he had done. Also, I hated how quickly the MMC doubted the MFC over a single incident, he did not give her the benefit of the doubt. Miscommunication and immediate distrust are tropes I rarely enjoy, and this was another example where it didn't work for me. I would likely have more to write about the MMC and my dislike, but there was really nothing given to us readers about him in general. There was so much lacking.
The pacing was extremely slow for a large portion of the book. Another struggle was the lack of emotional depth. I had just finished a book with incredibly mature, layered characters, which I loved. This book was very surface level. I never truly felt like I knew these characters, especially the MMC. Because of this, I didn't believe the romance. When the MFC said "I love you," it didn't feel earned. After finishing, I looked through other reviews and found that this seemed to be a fairly common sentiment.
Honestly, had this book not been an ALC/ARC, I honestly think I would have DNF'd book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Bramble for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For me, this book is a tale of two halves, and ultimately, a tale of two feelings. This is why Daughter of the Dark leans more of a 3 than a 4.
First off, the idea, the concept of the muki demons being souls of the dead who are not ready to go to the afterlife (in simple terms), and the 'curse' of Solana were really neat beats of this book. I also really liked the Peruvian mythos/lore built into this world. I thought that was unique and really had some legs. Unfortunately, that didn't go far enough for me, and I think it boiled down to the romance angle of this story getting in the way of the 'curse'/muki plot.
I know this is a romantasy and enemies to lovers is a great trope, but it just didn't feel natural to me. I won't spoil why Solana and Reyes were enemies to begin with, but that reason is brutal, then it just morphed into her wanting him. It didn't feel earned, didn't really explain why she felt this connection to him after their brutal first encounters (non-sexual), so when she did finally give in to him sexually, everything felt off and forced. I will also add this does have a slow-burn feel in terms of the actual coupling but by that point, the will they/won't they was tedious since that game started super early after said brutal first encounter.
Solana, while late twenties, comes across as very naive at times, more like a 19/20yr, especially in her snarky retorts. I personally like that, but it conflicted with her character arc for me to fully buy in as this hardened demon slayer with a tragic backstory, hence a bit why her eventual romance with Reyes felt completely out of nowhere. Now poor Reyes, this is the biggest letdown for me. He has Shadow Daddy aura (again, another good romantasy trope), but he felt soooooo under-realized, I just didn't feel like he was a character at all most of the time. His mannerisms felt so off-putting and awkward, it just made their 'connection' not work in the least for me. Maybe if he was a second POV to get some backstory or even just a feeling of him being more than a cardboard cutout of a lover, that would help go a long way.
So for me, I didn't buy the romance angle whatsoever. And that came at the detriment of the plot.
Like I said, the plot had great bones, but the first half of the book was muddied and all over the place trying to set things in motion. The first encounter of Solana and Reyes was going in a direction I thought really dark, but Solana got over it really fast and, again, we focused too much on the romance side instead of this playing into the overall plot. And it didn't help any of the reveals later on. When those reveals came, they were telegraphed and not that hard hitting.
About halfway through, the story got back on track and I thought the latter half of the book was a lot more fun. Though I will say there were plenty of times where scenes felt rushed or under described (ie Solana coming up with a plan then two paragraphs later she is in some woods outside the city when some major scenes earlier in the book show how difficult it is to get out of the city).
In the end, this was a good story with the bones to be enjoyable, a main character with some feisty energy and good backstory. It just didn't hit terribly hard for me to make me want to pick up the sequel.
For me, this book is a tale of two halves, and ultimately, a tale of two feelings. This is why Daughter of the Dark leans more of a 3 than a 4.
First off, the idea, the concept of the muki demons being souls of the dead who are not ready to go to the afterlife (in simple terms), and the 'curse' of Solana were really neat beats of this book. I also really liked the Peruvian mythos/lore built into this world. I thought that was unique and really had some legs. Unfortunately, that didn't go far enough for me, and I think it boiled down to the romance angle of this story getting in the way of the 'curse'/muki plot.
I know this is a romantasy and enemies to lovers is a great trope, but it just didn't feel natural to me. I won't spoil why Solana and Reyes were enemies to begin with, but that reason is brutal, then it just morphed into her wanting him. It didn't feel earned, didn't really explain why she felt this connection to him after their brutal first encounters (non-sexual), so when she did finally give in to him sexually, everything felt off and forced. I will also add this does have a slow-burn feel in terms of the actual coupling but by that point, the will they/won't they was tedious since that game started super early after said brutal first encounter.
Solana, while late twenties, comes across as very naive at times, more like a 19/20yr, especially in her snarky retorts. I personally like that, but it conflicted with her character arc for me to fully buy in as this hardened demon slayer with a tragic backstory, hence a bit why her eventual romance with Reyes felt completely out of nowhere. Now poor Reyes, this is the biggest letdown for me. He has Shadow Daddy aura (again, another good romantasy trope), but he felt soooooo under-realized, I just didn't feel like he was a character at all most of the time. His mannerisms felt so off-putting and awkward, it just made their 'connection' not work in the least for me. Maybe if he was a second POV to get some backstory or even just a feeling of him being more than a cardboard cutout of a lover, that would help go a long way.
So for me, I didn't buy the romance angle whatsoever. And that came at the detriment of the plot.
Like I said, the plot had great bones, but the first half of the book was muddied and all over the place trying to set things in motion. The first encounter of Solana and Reyes was going in a direction I thought really dark, but Solana got over it really fast and, again, we focused too much on the romance side instead of this playing into the overall plot. And it didn't help any of the reveals later on. When those reveals came, they were telegraphed and not that hard hitting.
About halfway through, the story got back on track and I thought the latter half of the book was a lot more fun. Though I will say there were plenty of times where scenes felt rushed or under described (ie Solana coming up with a plan then two paragraphs later she is in some woods outside the city when some major scenes earlier in the book show how difficult it is to get out of the city).
In the end, this was a good story with the bones to be enjoyable, a main character with some feisty energy and good backstory. It just didn't hit terribly hard for me to make me want to pick up the sequel.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Bramble for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Here is a photo of the lovely ARC that they sent me:
Daughter of the Dark by R. J. Valldeperas is the first book in a new romantasy series that you definitely won't forget after reading. The story revolves around Solana, who works as demon slayer hunting monsters called "muki." Then, she is captured and given a deal with the devil: she will work for the wicked king as his Royal Demon Slayer. She also has to work together with the king's right-hand man, Reyes, who she can't stand. Will Solana be able to fulfill the requirements of her new job, all while managing her burgeoning feelings for Reyes?
Here is a captivating excerpt from Chapter 1:
"Solana knew that the rooftop underneath her belly was the closest she would ever get to Hanan Pacha.
It was said that only those who obeyed the Rule of Three-do not steal, do not lie, and do not be idle-would be granted the opportunity to bask in the essence of the upper realm where there was no pain or sorrow or fear, but Solana had broken two of those rules every single day of her life.
It would have been three, if she could afford to be idle.
As it was, she had been hired to dispatch another muki.
...
It was only from years of hunting that she knew exactly where the muki would appear."
Overall, Daughter of the Dark is an amazing #ownvoices romantasy that will appeal to fans of Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night or Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass. One highlight of this book is the beginning of the book. It was super dark, and I could not stop reading. I didn't know how Solana was going to get out of the situation that she was in, and I had to keep reading until I could find out what happened next.
Another highlight of this book is how it is an #ownvoices novel with Latinx representation, which is very lacking in the fantasy space. I'm so happy to be able to support this author and this book. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would have to say that in the beginning, I was drawn into the conflict between the two main characters immediately. The latter third of the book, when they are united against a common enemy, felt more saccharine and less engrossing. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of romantasy novels in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in September!
Here is a photo of the lovely ARC that they sent me:
Daughter of the Dark by R. J. Valldeperas is the first book in a new romantasy series that you definitely won't forget after reading. The story revolves around Solana, who works as demon slayer hunting monsters called "muki." Then, she is captured and given a deal with the devil: she will work for the wicked king as his Royal Demon Slayer. She also has to work together with the king's right-hand man, Reyes, who she can't stand. Will Solana be able to fulfill the requirements of her new job, all while managing her burgeoning feelings for Reyes?
Here is a captivating excerpt from Chapter 1:
"Solana knew that the rooftop underneath her belly was the closest she would ever get to Hanan Pacha.
It was said that only those who obeyed the Rule of Three-do not steal, do not lie, and do not be idle-would be granted the opportunity to bask in the essence of the upper realm where there was no pain or sorrow or fear, but Solana had broken two of those rules every single day of her life.
It would have been three, if she could afford to be idle.
As it was, she had been hired to dispatch another muki.
...
It was only from years of hunting that she knew exactly where the muki would appear."
Overall, Daughter of the Dark is an amazing #ownvoices romantasy that will appeal to fans of Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night or Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass. One highlight of this book is the beginning of the book. It was super dark, and I could not stop reading. I didn't know how Solana was going to get out of the situation that she was in, and I had to keep reading until I could find out what happened next.
Another highlight of this book is how it is an #ownvoices novel with Latinx representation, which is very lacking in the fantasy space. I'm so happy to be able to support this author and this book. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would have to say that in the beginning, I was drawn into the conflict between the two main characters immediately. The latter third of the book, when they are united against a common enemy, felt more saccharine and less engrossing. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of romantasy novels in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in September!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ah Daughter of the Dark, how I have struggled to summate my feelings towards you! I really wanted to love this book. There are a lot of things that worked here for me, and a lot that didn’t. I loved the infusion of Peruvian influence on Supay, the food and the environments. I adore mythology so opening the book with the story of how the world was created by the gods was really cool. I unfortunately spent the rest of the book chasing that same connection to the story.
My experience reading this book was feeling connected to the world building and mythology but disconnected from the characters. Everyone felt like a placeholder. They had attributes but not distinct personalities in my opinion. Found family is a trope that needs to be handled with care. Weaving together a group of people to have a believable bond can be intricate and difficult. Unfortunately while characters like Cora are interesting others like Suri don’t really get an identy at all. All the side characters felt like blank canvases by the end. I didn’t really learn to love them, or feel convinced by their convictions to look out for one another or care for each other.
I had the same problem with the developing romance between Reyes and Solana. Out of all the characters, I like Solana. She is a strong fighter and older FMC which can be rare in the genre. Solana has more layers than some, but are not explored much past surface level. I felt she remained angry, weathered and harsh for most of the story.
I had so many issues with the romantic elements as well throughout. I do not enjoy torture as part of a couples history. It feels too simplistic to rely on senseless violence as motivation to set them up as enemies. And Solana was never really equally matched in the “enemies” department with Reyes. She just kind of existed and he hated her guts and followed orders to brutally torture her no questions asked. And Solana just glosses over it to develop their romance. None of it developed in a way that made sense to me.
Again, I loved the world building, that is the shining jewel here! If you are inclined, come for the world and fast paced action. Hopefully stick around to see what Solana, Reyes and the gang get up to next.
Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group - Bramble and R.J. Valldeperas for providing me an ARC in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.
My experience reading this book was feeling connected to the world building and mythology but disconnected from the characters. Everyone felt like a placeholder. They had attributes but not distinct personalities in my opinion. Found family is a trope that needs to be handled with care. Weaving together a group of people to have a believable bond can be intricate and difficult. Unfortunately while characters like Cora are interesting others like Suri don’t really get an identy at all. All the side characters felt like blank canvases by the end. I didn’t really learn to love them, or feel convinced by their convictions to look out for one another or care for each other.
I had the same problem with the developing romance between Reyes and Solana. Out of all the characters, I like Solana. She is a strong fighter and older FMC which can be rare in the genre. Solana has more layers than some, but are not explored much past surface level. I felt she remained angry, weathered and harsh for most of the story.
I had so many issues with the romantic elements as well throughout. I do not enjoy torture as part of a couples history. It feels too simplistic to rely on senseless violence as motivation to set them up as enemies. And Solana was never really equally matched in the “enemies” department with Reyes. She just kind of existed and he hated her guts and followed orders to brutally torture her no questions asked. And Solana just glosses over it to develop their romance. None of it developed in a way that made sense to me.
Again, I loved the world building, that is the shining jewel here! If you are inclined, come for the world and fast paced action. Hopefully stick around to see what Solana, Reyes and the gang get up to next.
Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group - Bramble and R.J. Valldeperas for providing me an ARC in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book to read and review.
This story was narrated by Gisela Chipe. Her voices and cadence were enjoyable. The only issue I had was the Latina accent of the FMC seemed to vary from accented to not accented throughout the story.
Some tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
One Horse
I really struggled with this story. The messaging I received by the ending was: Find your power, but make sure a man is there to back you up or make you feel bad about yourself. And also, torture is forgivable, especially without apology.
I did not connect to the characters or the romance in this story. I have no idea how Solana forgives the MMC for his actions. I have a visceral hatred for him, his treatment of her throughout the story, and his haughty/righteous way of talking down to her. Nope.
Solana, the FMC, knows what she wants. She wants freedom. She tells everyone her goals. Throughout the story, she is persistently told by men, including her best friend Sami, the MMC Reyes, and the King, that she is selfish and should be pursuing other things. The men in this story try to control her and most times she goes along with it.
Solana has been a Demon Slayer for 14 years, and yet each time she encounters a demon she is injured and needs to be saved by a man. This happens over and over and over again.
The antagonist, MMC, and side characters had very little character development. For me, the found family fell flat. The sense of community with Solana's people also felt underdeveloped. The King's motivations and backstory were lacking. Reyes' backstory, personality, and history were glossed over/surface level.
The plot pacing for this story started slow and then became fast paced after the 50% mark. Some plot points seemed redundant and the last 15% felt disorganized.
The worldbuilding was OK, but I found the magic system confusing especially surrounding the powers of other characters. The political aspects were lacking, especially without introduction of other royals, nobles, or advisors. There was a ball, but it seemed out of place.
This is my first Peruvian folklore inspired book. The details and creation of the Muki were creepy and zombie-esque.
This book has spice. Two chili peppers.
Overall, this book was not for me.
This story was narrated by Gisela Chipe. Her voices and cadence were enjoyable. The only issue I had was the Latina accent of the FMC seemed to vary from accented to not accented throughout the story.
Some tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
One Horse
I really struggled with this story. The messaging I received by the ending was: Find your power, but make sure a man is there to back you up or make you feel bad about yourself. And also, torture is forgivable, especially without apology.
I did not connect to the characters or the romance in this story. I have no idea how Solana forgives the MMC for his actions. I have a visceral hatred for him, his treatment of her throughout the story, and his haughty/righteous way of talking down to her. Nope.
Solana, the FMC, knows what she wants. She wants freedom. She tells everyone her goals. Throughout the story, she is persistently told by men, including her best friend Sami, the MMC Reyes, and the King, that she is selfish and should be pursuing other things. The men in this story try to control her and most times she goes along with it.
Solana has been a Demon Slayer for 14 years, and yet each time she encounters a demon she is injured and needs to be saved by a man. This happens over and over and over again.
The antagonist, MMC, and side characters had very little character development. For me, the found family fell flat. The sense of community with Solana's people also felt underdeveloped. The King's motivations and backstory were lacking. Reyes' backstory, personality, and history were glossed over/surface level.
The plot pacing for this story started slow and then became fast paced after the 50% mark. Some plot points seemed redundant and the last 15% felt disorganized.
The worldbuilding was OK, but I found the magic system confusing especially surrounding the powers of other characters. The political aspects were lacking, especially without introduction of other royals, nobles, or advisors. There was a ball, but it seemed out of place.
This is my first Peruvian folklore inspired book. The details and creation of the Muki were creepy and zombie-esque.
This book has spice. Two chili peppers.
Overall, this book was not for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars TL;DR - Rich atmosphere, South American cultural influences, political scheming, assassins, and curses... This had a lot of ingredients I love in fantasy and introduced me to an author I'll absolutely be keeping an eye on.
My Thoughts:
What I liked - I love a fantasy that embodies cultural elements. The food and drink and found family in this case all contributed to a rich atmosphere. I would have liked to see even more of this.
I liked the traditional fantasy elements. While we want new stories and unique elements, there are also things that will always make me feel at home in a fantasy world. An assassin character, political maneuvering, curses and history... The author did things well in a way that made me sink in every time I picked up this book.
What didn't work as well - I like that we are seeing efforts towards fantasy standalones and I particularly love the interconnected series we are getting, but making a perfect fantastical story in just one book is not easy. I think the author could have had a bit less going on because all of the elements this story felt just a tad too surface level. I got pretty confused about all the details of the curse and the lore and the world overall. I think the romance could have been a bit better developed. I also would have liked a lot more time with certain aspects of Solana's family.
Another minor thing is that this didn't read super adult to me. I feel like Solana acted like a... 19 years old or something closer to that age. But she was supposed to around 27? I just thought she had some immature tendencies but if she had been younger it would have made sense.
So yes, a few things that didn't quite click but overall I think this is definitely one to pick up if the synopsis intrigues you. And I am very interested in reading more from this author in the future. I also only just realized she just published another book earlier this year, her debut, and I'm intrigued by that one for sure.
Definitely glad I picked this one up and discovered a new author!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book
My Thoughts:
What I liked - I love a fantasy that embodies cultural elements. The food and drink and found family in this case all contributed to a rich atmosphere. I would have liked to see even more of this.
I liked the traditional fantasy elements. While we want new stories and unique elements, there are also things that will always make me feel at home in a fantasy world. An assassin character, political maneuvering, curses and history... The author did things well in a way that made me sink in every time I picked up this book.
What didn't work as well - I like that we are seeing efforts towards fantasy standalones and I particularly love the interconnected series we are getting, but making a perfect fantastical story in just one book is not easy. I think the author could have had a bit less going on because all of the elements this story felt just a tad too surface level. I got pretty confused about all the details of the curse and the lore and the world overall. I think the romance could have been a bit better developed. I also would have liked a lot more time with certain aspects of Solana's family.
Another minor thing is that this didn't read super adult to me. I feel like Solana acted like a... 19 years old or something closer to that age. But she was supposed to around 27? I just thought she had some immature tendencies but if she had been younger it would have made sense.
So yes, a few things that didn't quite click but overall I think this is definitely one to pick up if the synopsis intrigues you. And I am very interested in reading more from this author in the future. I also only just realized she just published another book earlier this year, her debut, and I'm intrigued by that one for sure.
Definitely glad I picked this one up and discovered a new author!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daughter of the Dark by R.J. Valldeperas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC!
Solana is a demon slayer in the kingdom of Supay, where a curse of eternal death has taken hold. In Supay, when you die, you become a muki—a cursed dead human. Living on the streets, Solana survives by slaying muki and doing whatever she can to protect the people she loves. But after she is injured and taken by Reyes, the king’s right-hand man, King Killian names her the Royal Demon Slayer, much to the dismay of the kingdom’s privileged class. Now, Solana’s goal is to figure out what is poisoning Supay.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I thought Solana’s immunity to the muki’s poison was such a great plot twist right from the beginning, and it’s something I haven’t seen explored much in other books. I also loved the possibility that her blood could be the key to a cure, although whether that’s actually the case is something you’ll have to read to find out!
Reyes and Solana’s relationship was definitely an enemies-to-lovers romance. They go from torturing each other and wanting one another dead to working together and slowly learning to trust each other. There were quite a few secrets and twists along the way, and once everything started coming to light, so many things began to make more sense.
My only real downfall was the ending. It felt a little rushed, and I found myself wishing there had been more time for certain things to play out. That said, I still thought this was a really fun and intriguing read!
One thing I’m especially curious about: Goodreads lists this as Daughters of Auquis #1, but the story felt pretty standalone to me. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out to see where this series goes if there’s more to come!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC!
Solana is a demon slayer in the kingdom of Supay, where a curse of eternal death has taken hold. In Supay, when you die, you become a muki—a cursed dead human. Living on the streets, Solana survives by slaying muki and doing whatever she can to protect the people she loves. But after she is injured and taken by Reyes, the king’s right-hand man, King Killian names her the Royal Demon Slayer, much to the dismay of the kingdom’s privileged class. Now, Solana’s goal is to figure out what is poisoning Supay.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I thought Solana’s immunity to the muki’s poison was such a great plot twist right from the beginning, and it’s something I haven’t seen explored much in other books. I also loved the possibility that her blood could be the key to a cure, although whether that’s actually the case is something you’ll have to read to find out!
Reyes and Solana’s relationship was definitely an enemies-to-lovers romance. They go from torturing each other and wanting one another dead to working together and slowly learning to trust each other. There were quite a few secrets and twists along the way, and once everything started coming to light, so many things began to make more sense.
My only real downfall was the ending. It felt a little rushed, and I found myself wishing there had been more time for certain things to play out. That said, I still thought this was a really fun and intriguing read!
One thing I’m especially curious about: Goodreads lists this as Daughters of Auquis #1, but the story felt pretty standalone to me. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out to see where this series goes if there’s more to come!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
{2.75}
I really wanted to love this story. First because it’s something different from the typical Euro-centric fantasy. Second, because the cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Unfortunately, this story didn’t gel well with me. My overall biggest issue with this novel was the pacing. Solana was suddenly calling the side characters her friends when they barely knew each other and had yet to form any sort of bond? The romance is especially egregious about this. One character tortured the other, but suddenly they’re both extremely attracted to each other and in love? It made no sense. Though I could see this working if there was more build-up.
We also knew practically nothing about the characters, which made certain plot points that were meant to be emotional fall completely flat. The only character we really got to know was Solana, who I unfortunately found very unlikable. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind morally grey characters. Some of my absolute favorite characters in literature did not have the best moral compass. However, it was the lack of character growth and selfishness that I couldn’t get past.
I also had an issue with the audiobook. Gisela Chipe has a great voice, but anytime there was a foreign word, be it something Peruvian or something magical that’s a part of the world, the narrator would take a large pause and put a huge emphasis on the word. It constantly pulled me out of the story.
Overall, I think that the author tried to put too many things into too short of a novel. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this story. First because it’s something different from the typical Euro-centric fantasy. Second, because the cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Unfortunately, this story didn’t gel well with me. My overall biggest issue with this novel was the pacing. Solana was suddenly calling the side characters her friends when they barely knew each other and had yet to form any sort of bond? The romance is especially egregious about this. One character tortured the other, but suddenly they’re both extremely attracted to each other and in love? It made no sense. Though I could see this working if there was more build-up.
We also knew practically nothing about the characters, which made certain plot points that were meant to be emotional fall completely flat. The only character we really got to know was Solana, who I unfortunately found very unlikable. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind morally grey characters. Some of my absolute favorite characters in literature did not have the best moral compass. However, it was the lack of character growth and selfishness that I couldn’t get past.
I also had an issue with the audiobook. Gisela Chipe has a great voice, but anytime there was a foreign word, be it something Peruvian or something magical that’s a part of the world, the narrator would take a large pause and put a huge emphasis on the word. It constantly pulled me out of the story.
Overall, I think that the author tried to put too many things into too short of a novel. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
4⭐️
I have to admit that I ended up really enjoying this! I was definitely struggling a bit at the beginning - my biggest complaint with fantasy arcs is when there’s no map and/or pronunciation guide and this had neither which made it quite difficult for me to get my bearings. Even having finished the book and enjoyed it, I’m still not sure I fully grasped the world or the reason behind the curse.
With that being said, it did manage to draw me in and keep me invested. Solana was a complex character and, while I didn’t fully buy her relationship with Reyes and found her wildly frustrating sometimes, I was really invested in her journey and growth. I actually wish we’d spent a bit more time on her gift and her growth earlier on in the book. I think that also would have also helped the believability of the romance aspect… the way it’s written, she went from fearing Reyes to having feelings without much explanation as to how he gained her trust.
In terms of the plot itself, I do think this was really interesting. Despite still being a bit fuzzy on the reason for the curse, the curse itself was a really interesting conflict. Especially when combined with the motivations of the King and the identity of Solana’s father.
I wouldn’t say I loved this, but I did thoroughly enjoy it! There were absolutely some emotional moments that made me cry throughout the book and I was truly happy with how things wrapped up. I will definitely recommend this to other fantasy readers!
Huge thank you to the publisher for this arc!
I have to admit that I ended up really enjoying this! I was definitely struggling a bit at the beginning - my biggest complaint with fantasy arcs is when there’s no map and/or pronunciation guide and this had neither which made it quite difficult for me to get my bearings. Even having finished the book and enjoyed it, I’m still not sure I fully grasped the world or the reason behind the curse.
With that being said, it did manage to draw me in and keep me invested. Solana was a complex character and, while I didn’t fully buy her relationship with Reyes and found her wildly frustrating sometimes, I was really invested in her journey and growth. I actually wish we’d spent a bit more time on her gift and her growth earlier on in the book. I think that also would have also helped the believability of the romance aspect… the way it’s written, she went from fearing Reyes to having feelings without much explanation as to how he gained her trust.
In terms of the plot itself, I do think this was really interesting. Despite still being a bit fuzzy on the reason for the curse, the curse itself was a really interesting conflict. Especially when combined with the motivations of the King and the identity of Solana’s father.
I wouldn’t say I loved this, but I did thoroughly enjoy it! There were absolutely some emotional moments that made me cry throughout the book and I was truly happy with how things wrapped up. I will definitely recommend this to other fantasy readers!
Huge thank you to the publisher for this arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daughter of the Dark by R.J. Valldeperas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for the advance copy! 💜
Okay, this was SO much fun. 😭✨ If you’re a Buffy fan, loved the Latine influences in Half City, or enjoyed A Vow in Vengeance, definitely add this one to your list!
This Peruvian-inspired romantasy follows Solana, a demon hunter who feels a demon’s pain every time she delivers the killing blow. After being named a demon slayer by the king, she gets pulled into royal secrets, curses, and questions surrounding her mysterious ability.
I really loved the atmosphere and world-building. The afterlife, the muki, the Peruvian food, and the contrast between Solana’s neighborhood and the royal castle made the setting feel so vivid. I just wish we’d gotten a little more of the mythology behind the Peruvian-inspired elements!
Solana was such a great FMC—strong, stubborn, and fiercely protective of her people. I especially loved watching her learn that wanting love and happiness doesn’t make her any less of a protector.
And the romance? 👀 SO good. The tension and banter between Solana and Reyes had me hooked. I would’ve loved more time for their relationship to develop, but the sweet moments we did get were definitely worth it.
I also adored the found-family cast and the inclusive representation. 🥹
Overall, this was a creative, atmospheric, and incredibly entertaining romantasy. I’m not sure if it’s a standalone or the start of something more, but either way, I’ll definitely be watching for whatever R.J. Valldeperas writes next! ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for the advance copy! 💜
Okay, this was SO much fun. 😭✨ If you’re a Buffy fan, loved the Latine influences in Half City, or enjoyed A Vow in Vengeance, definitely add this one to your list!
This Peruvian-inspired romantasy follows Solana, a demon hunter who feels a demon’s pain every time she delivers the killing blow. After being named a demon slayer by the king, she gets pulled into royal secrets, curses, and questions surrounding her mysterious ability.
I really loved the atmosphere and world-building. The afterlife, the muki, the Peruvian food, and the contrast between Solana’s neighborhood and the royal castle made the setting feel so vivid. I just wish we’d gotten a little more of the mythology behind the Peruvian-inspired elements!
Solana was such a great FMC—strong, stubborn, and fiercely protective of her people. I especially loved watching her learn that wanting love and happiness doesn’t make her any less of a protector.
And the romance? 👀 SO good. The tension and banter between Solana and Reyes had me hooked. I would’ve loved more time for their relationship to develop, but the sweet moments we did get were definitely worth it.
I also adored the found-family cast and the inclusive representation. 🥹
Overall, this was a creative, atmospheric, and incredibly entertaining romantasy. I’m not sure if it’s a standalone or the start of something more, but either way, I’ll definitely be watching for whatever R.J. Valldeperas writes next! ✨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a review of an advanced reader copy.
Ultimately, I think the biggest challenge for me was the pacing in the first half of the book. It was a bit slow and I had a difficult time staying engaged. The world building is super interesting and I think that is what shines through the most here. I think this book will work for people who want intricate and unique world building. I especially appreciated the Peruvian influence. This was something new and exciting!
I love character driven books and this is where things I think could improve especially for people like me. I just get really attached to characters. I would love more depth to some of the side characters and more growth in the main characters. You could argue that there was some character growth with the main characters but I’m unsure if it felt natural. The romance aspect was a bit weird. I honestly felt like Solana should not be attracted to Reyes. Or maybe it just happened too fast given their experiences together. I think I may have enjoyed their relationship more if it hadn’t felt rushed. I think I will read the next one, because the world that has been created is interesting and I’d like to see how things progress, especially with the characters.
Thank you to Bramble, Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this for an honest review!
Ultimately, I think the biggest challenge for me was the pacing in the first half of the book. It was a bit slow and I had a difficult time staying engaged. The world building is super interesting and I think that is what shines through the most here. I think this book will work for people who want intricate and unique world building. I especially appreciated the Peruvian influence. This was something new and exciting!
I love character driven books and this is where things I think could improve especially for people like me. I just get really attached to characters. I would love more depth to some of the side characters and more growth in the main characters. You could argue that there was some character growth with the main characters but I’m unsure if it felt natural. The romance aspect was a bit weird. I honestly felt like Solana should not be attracted to Reyes. Or maybe it just happened too fast given their experiences together. I think I may have enjoyed their relationship more if it hadn’t felt rushed. I think I will read the next one, because the world that has been created is interesting and I’d like to see how things progress, especially with the characters.
Thank you to Bramble, Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a fast paced read that I feel like has everything you need in a good romantasy.
Our FMC is strong willed with a sad back story, and finds herself at the mercy of her people, slaying demons to keep them all safe. Once the King learns of her talents slaying demons, she’s recruited to become his official Royal Demon Hunter, alongside the broody and chastising Reyes.
What follows is an adventure to break the curse that caused the demons, and not everything is as it seems. This story had elements of found family, enemies to lovers, and grief, all wrapped up in a unique premise that kept me intrigued.
While this book had a cool plot, I do feel this was a little too fast paced. We don’t learn much about the world or our characters, and I found the romance lacking. It felt a little less believable for things in the plot to happen, given they came to pass so quickly that there wasn’t much build up. I would’ve loved to see more depth in these areas, as it also made the beginning portion a bit confusing at times and I wasn’t sure what was going on and who some of the characters were. Regardless though, this book didn’t drag and had several good plot twists that kept me engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.
Our FMC is strong willed with a sad back story, and finds herself at the mercy of her people, slaying demons to keep them all safe. Once the King learns of her talents slaying demons, she’s recruited to become his official Royal Demon Hunter, alongside the broody and chastising Reyes.
What follows is an adventure to break the curse that caused the demons, and not everything is as it seems. This story had elements of found family, enemies to lovers, and grief, all wrapped up in a unique premise that kept me intrigued.
While this book had a cool plot, I do feel this was a little too fast paced. We don’t learn much about the world or our characters, and I found the romance lacking. It felt a little less believable for things in the plot to happen, given they came to pass so quickly that there wasn’t much build up. I would’ve loved to see more depth in these areas, as it also made the beginning portion a bit confusing at times and I wasn’t sure what was going on and who some of the characters were. Regardless though, this book didn’t drag and had several good plot twists that kept me engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.75⭐️ rounded up for Goodreads. Wow!! I loved this. I think this book is going to become really popular, as it should!!! More people need to be talking about this book!
This was fast paced, the plot kept moving, I loved all of the characters, and I didn’t ever want to put this down. We’ve got an interesting magic system, our FMC is fierce and doesn’t back down from challenges, and the lore of the world was intriguing.
What knocked this down just barely to me is that I think this lacking some depth to the world/romance. I wanted more!! I felt like we weren’t fully let into the understanding of the FMC’s magic/dreams, the romance felt like it happened fast and lacked build up, and I wish we knew more about the magic system. Don’t get me wrong, I loved what I read, I just felt slightly on the outside looking in instead of fully engulfed. For example, without spoilers, the FMC would do something big and sometimes I would wonder how she got to the conclusion that the action she did is what she needed to do.
Overall, this was reaaaaally good and wrapped up nicely. I’d call it a HEA for sure. Highly, highly recommend!
~I received a physical ARC free from the publisher. Thank you to Bramble for the early copy! My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~
This was fast paced, the plot kept moving, I loved all of the characters, and I didn’t ever want to put this down. We’ve got an interesting magic system, our FMC is fierce and doesn’t back down from challenges, and the lore of the world was intriguing.
What knocked this down just barely to me is that I think this lacking some depth to the world/romance. I wanted more!! I felt like we weren’t fully let into the understanding of the FMC’s magic/dreams, the romance felt like it happened fast and lacked build up, and I wish we knew more about the magic system. Don’t get me wrong, I loved what I read, I just felt slightly on the outside looking in instead of fully engulfed. For example, without spoilers, the FMC would do something big and sometimes I would wonder how she got to the conclusion that the action she did is what she needed to do.
Overall, this was reaaaaally good and wrapped up nicely. I’d call it a HEA for sure. Highly, highly recommend!
~I received a physical ARC free from the publisher. Thank you to Bramble for the early copy! My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This was so good! I went in assuming it would be a series, but loved that it was a standalone. So much happens in these 322 pages, and it wraps up really nicely.
We have a cursed island where the citizens are tied to the land, and the dead are forced to come back as murderous monsters. Our FMC lives in the poorest parts of their society, taking on illegal work slaying these monsters, once loved people. The king conscripts her services, forcing her to work alongside Reyes as they seek an answer to break the curse. Hot, broody, sees right through her act. Gotta love him. (Other than that part in the beginning where he tortures her?? 😅).
It's a true enemies to lovers that builds into a beautiful romance. Solana is a classic lone wolf, martyr persona who tries to avoid love at all costs out of fear of pain, loss, vulnerability, and being caged. We see something in her heal, and find her family, a community.
Keeping it vague to avoid spoilers, but I can see this being a big hit in the romantasy world.
There is something about the writing that was a little off at times. I guess I wish some things had been fleshed out a bit better, feeling rushed through parts of the story, but I also VASTLY prefer that to be an issue than the author over explaining to the reader.
We have a cursed island where the citizens are tied to the land, and the dead are forced to come back as murderous monsters. Our FMC lives in the poorest parts of their society, taking on illegal work slaying these monsters, once loved people. The king conscripts her services, forcing her to work alongside Reyes as they seek an answer to break the curse. Hot, broody, sees right through her act. Gotta love him. (Other than that part in the beginning where he tortures her?? 😅).
It's a true enemies to lovers that builds into a beautiful romance. Solana is a classic lone wolf, martyr persona who tries to avoid love at all costs out of fear of pain, loss, vulnerability, and being caged. We see something in her heal, and find her family, a community.
Keeping it vague to avoid spoilers, but I can see this being a big hit in the romantasy world.
There is something about the writing that was a little off at times. I guess I wish some things had been fleshed out a bit better, feeling rushed through parts of the story, but I also VASTLY prefer that to be an issue than the author over explaining to the reader.
Read
August 5, 2026Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Solana and her people, the Supay, live in torment as they’re damned to continue in the world as muki rather than find peaceful death after life. Her calling is to free these souls from their muki forms.
When Solana is offered a position in the royal household, she must choose how far she’s willing to go down a new path and away from the life she’s always known.
I struggled with this book more than expected. I liked the premise, but struggled with the characters and their romantic relationship from the get-go. There is simply too hard of a shift between their first few interactions which set up their enemies arc to their final landing spot as a couple. I mean he torturously interrogates her for information and in my opinion there is a massive gap in the resolution of that situation that needed to take place.
Solana is also a very guarded and standoffish character which came across flat and one-note. Because of these issues, I found it hard to really to connect with either of our main characters and truly immerse myself in the story. I would rate this 3.5 stars overall.
Gisela Chípe’s narration is perfect for this story; her various accents are subtle and precise.
Solana and her people, the Supay, live in torment as they’re damned to continue in the world as muki rather than find peaceful death after life. Her calling is to free these souls from their muki forms.
When Solana is offered a position in the royal household, she must choose how far she’s willing to go down a new path and away from the life she’s always known.
I struggled with this book more than expected. I liked the premise, but struggled with the characters and their romantic relationship from the get-go. There is simply too hard of a shift between their first few interactions which set up their enemies arc to their final landing spot as a couple. I mean he torturously interrogates her for information and in my opinion there is a massive gap in the resolution of that situation that needed to take place.
Solana is also a very guarded and standoffish character which came across flat and one-note. Because of these issues, I found it hard to really to connect with either of our main characters and truly immerse myself in the story. I would rate this 3.5 stars overall.
Gisela Chípe’s narration is perfect for this story; her various accents are subtle and precise.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Daughter of the Dark
Lemme tell you right now that R. J. Valldeperas is an author to keep your eye on because HOLY CRAP!!
Valldeperas has found the perfect balance between prose and readability, plot and romance, and darkness and hope. The plot was easy to digest while still maintaining a rich worldbuilding and twists I didn’t see coming.
I loved how flawed all of the characters are, especially Solana(the FMC). This is a standalone, so it was fast paced, but I still felt like Solana had a complete arc and wasn’t the same person at the end of the book as she was at the beginning.
My favorite aspect of the book (just like in Their Will Undone) was the South American inspired world. There were so many mythological and worldbuilding Easter eggs. And the food?? I was craving an arepa myself by the end of the book😁
This book is pretty dark, and even though it is that way for the majority of the book, I loved seeing different characters fight for life free from the curse while they find hope and joy in each other (even if it takes them a while to get to that point-I’m looking at you Solana).
I 10/10 recommend this book and can’t wait for the next standalone in this series!
Lemme tell you right now that R. J. Valldeperas is an author to keep your eye on because HOLY CRAP!!
Valldeperas has found the perfect balance between prose and readability, plot and romance, and darkness and hope. The plot was easy to digest while still maintaining a rich worldbuilding and twists I didn’t see coming.
I loved how flawed all of the characters are, especially Solana(the FMC). This is a standalone, so it was fast paced, but I still felt like Solana had a complete arc and wasn’t the same person at the end of the book as she was at the beginning.
My favorite aspect of the book (just like in Their Will Undone) was the South American inspired world. There were so many mythological and worldbuilding Easter eggs. And the food?? I was craving an arepa myself by the end of the book😁
This book is pretty dark, and even though it is that way for the majority of the book, I loved seeing different characters fight for life free from the curse while they find hope and joy in each other (even if it takes them a while to get to that point-I’m looking at you Solana).
I 10/10 recommend this book and can’t wait for the next standalone in this series!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a story about Solana. Daughter of the Dark.
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Yes, yes - there is romance, demons, curses, and magic. But as much as I loved all of those elements, what I REALLY loved was Solana’s journey: her internal conflicts, struggles, and growth. (aka - the hurt before the healing 😭😭😭🥰)
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Valldeperas has this way of weaving emotions, atmosphere, and rich prose into every chapter without it taking away from the story. It enriches even the smallest elements (without me knowing at times 🫣) to further develop Solana. Her experience. Her surroundings. Her internal turmoil. Every moment feels purposeful and beautifully balanced around her experience.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I loved that this was a standalone, but hope we see her and her found family pop up again within the series ❤️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
👉🏻 This is a fast paced, immersive read - first in a standalone series - where powerful women must discover their hidden strengths and the different ways that shapes each heroine’s journey 👈🏻
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Out in Sept 2026!
(Thank you Bramble for the gifted arc in return for an honest review)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Yes, yes - there is romance, demons, curses, and magic. But as much as I loved all of those elements, what I REALLY loved was Solana’s journey: her internal conflicts, struggles, and growth. (aka - the hurt before the healing 😭😭😭🥰)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Valldeperas has this way of weaving emotions, atmosphere, and rich prose into every chapter without it taking away from the story. It enriches even the smallest elements (without me knowing at times 🫣) to further develop Solana. Her experience. Her surroundings. Her internal turmoil. Every moment feels purposeful and beautifully balanced around her experience.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I loved that this was a standalone, but hope we see her and her found family pop up again within the series ❤️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
👉🏻 This is a fast paced, immersive read - first in a standalone series - where powerful women must discover their hidden strengths and the different ways that shapes each heroine’s journey 👈🏻
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Out in Sept 2026!
(Thank you Bramble for the gifted arc in return for an honest review)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🎧 Daughter of the Dark was difficult to rate because I’m not sure I ever got to experience the story without also fighting the audiobook. The narration consistently pulled me out, particularly whenever the Peruvian-inspired mythology entered the language. There would often be a slight pause followed by extra emphasis, making those words feel separated from the world instead of naturally embedded within it. That made one of the book’s strongest and most distinctive elements feel oddly set apart from the world around it.
Around 20% in the story started winning some ground back. Solana has built her entire life around surviving a duty she never chose, and the possible path to freedom placed in front of her only draws her further into it. The stakes felt real, and Valldeperas doesn’t soften the uglier moments when the story reaches them. There’s a lot here that I appreciated, particularly the mythology and the darker weight behind the world, but the narration kept creating distance when I most needed it to disappear.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, R.J. Valldeperas, and the narrator Gisela Chípe for providing me this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Around 20% in the story started winning some ground back. Solana has built her entire life around surviving a duty she never chose, and the possible path to freedom placed in front of her only draws her further into it. The stakes felt real, and Valldeperas doesn’t soften the uglier moments when the story reaches them. There’s a lot here that I appreciated, particularly the mythology and the darker weight behind the world, but the narration kept creating distance when I most needed it to disappear.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, R.J. Valldeperas, and the narrator Gisela Chípe for providing me this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Tor Bramble for the ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Solana and her people, the Supay, live in torment as they’re damned to continue in the world as muki rather than find peaceful death after life. Her calling is to free these souls from their muki forms.
When Solana is offered a position in the royal household, she must choose how far she’s willing to go down a new path and away from the life she’s always known.
I struggled with this book more than expected. I liked the premise, but struggled with the characters and their romantic relationship from the get-go. There is simply too hard of a shift between their first few interactions which set up their enemies arc to their final landing spot as a couple. I mean he torturously interrogates her for information and in my opinion there is a massive gap in the resolution of that situation that needed to take place.
Solana is also a very guarded and standoffish character which came across flat and one-note. Because of these issues, I found it hard to really to connect with either of our main characters and truly immerse myself in the story. I would rate this 3.5 stars overall.
Solana and her people, the Supay, live in torment as they’re damned to continue in the world as muki rather than find peaceful death after life. Her calling is to free these souls from their muki forms.
When Solana is offered a position in the royal household, she must choose how far she’s willing to go down a new path and away from the life she’s always known.
I struggled with this book more than expected. I liked the premise, but struggled with the characters and their romantic relationship from the get-go. There is simply too hard of a shift between their first few interactions which set up their enemies arc to their final landing spot as a couple. I mean he torturously interrogates her for information and in my opinion there is a massive gap in the resolution of that situation that needed to take place.
Solana is also a very guarded and standoffish character which came across flat and one-note. Because of these issues, I found it hard to really to connect with either of our main characters and truly immerse myself in the story. I would rate this 3.5 stars overall.
August 9, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Daughter of the Dark is a sweeping, propulsive fantasy novel.
I had a wonderful time with this one. The magic system was well-developed, and the muki were fascinating and vividly described. The action scenes were cinematic, and the ending was beautiful. The pacing was propulsive, although it felt rushed. The characters were vibrant and compelling, but I longed for deeper development of Solana. Solana’s romance with Reyes was swoon-worthy, but I hoped for more development during the first half of the novel. The world-building was immersive, and I loved the infusion of Latine culture, but I also longed for deeper development of the world. Similarly, the plot was creative and intriguing, but I hoped for slightly more development. R.J. Valldeperas’s prose was fierce, sweeping, and atmospheric. Overall, I absolutely recommend this one to readers looking for an exhilarating romantasy standalone!
Overall, I quite enjoyed Gisela Chípe’s performance, but her pronunciation of words like Supay and muki often felt a bit stilted and forced. However, Chípe wonderfully captured the emotion, energy, and adventure. I recommend the audiobook!
Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC and ARC!
Daughter of the Dark is a sweeping, propulsive fantasy novel.
I had a wonderful time with this one. The magic system was well-developed, and the muki were fascinating and vividly described. The action scenes were cinematic, and the ending was beautiful. The pacing was propulsive, although it felt rushed. The characters were vibrant and compelling, but I longed for deeper development of Solana. Solana’s romance with Reyes was swoon-worthy, but I hoped for more development during the first half of the novel. The world-building was immersive, and I loved the infusion of Latine culture, but I also longed for deeper development of the world. Similarly, the plot was creative and intriguing, but I hoped for slightly more development. R.J. Valldeperas’s prose was fierce, sweeping, and atmospheric. Overall, I absolutely recommend this one to readers looking for an exhilarating romantasy standalone!
Overall, I quite enjoyed Gisela Chípe’s performance, but her pronunciation of words like Supay and muki often felt a bit stilted and forced. However, Chípe wonderfully captured the emotion, energy, and adventure. I recommend the audiobook!
Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC and ARC!
August 9, 2026
** Thank you NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group x Bramble for the e-ARC through the NetGalley **
** Thank you NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for a chance to ALC of the audio through the NetGalley **
4.5⭐️
Yesss this book redeemed demon slayer fantasies for me. It’s perfect for us obsessed k-pop demon hunters (but make it darker) and buffy the vampire slayers.
About 20% in I received the audiobook and wow! This really elevated my reading experience. The narrator is 10/10 and I really enjoyed my immersive read.
This book is packed with South American mythology and an introduction to a bad ass FMC, Solana. Our cocky and determined demon slayer trying to rid her community of one “muki” at a time. Her stained last name left her with a point to prove and her cockiness leads her right into the scheming hands of the king.
After agreeing to a bid as serving as a demon slayer for the king the book really took off for me. We met our healer, Reyes a sexy morally grey right hand to the king.
The banter between these two is top tier! Hidden truths, scheming, corruption, enemies to lovers, betrayal and found family made this an exciting immersive read for me!
The ending fell just a little flat for me, I was expecting a curveball or cliff hanger to leave me anticipating book 2.
** Thank you NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for a chance to ALC of the audio through the NetGalley **
4.5⭐️
Yesss this book redeemed demon slayer fantasies for me. It’s perfect for us obsessed k-pop demon hunters (but make it darker) and buffy the vampire slayers.
About 20% in I received the audiobook and wow! This really elevated my reading experience. The narrator is 10/10 and I really enjoyed my immersive read.
This book is packed with South American mythology and an introduction to a bad ass FMC, Solana. Our cocky and determined demon slayer trying to rid her community of one “muki” at a time. Her stained last name left her with a point to prove and her cockiness leads her right into the scheming hands of the king.
After agreeing to a bid as serving as a demon slayer for the king the book really took off for me. We met our healer, Reyes a sexy morally grey right hand to the king.
The banter between these two is top tier! Hidden truths, scheming, corruption, enemies to lovers, betrayal and found family made this an exciting immersive read for me!
The ending fell just a little flat for me, I was expecting a curveball or cliff hanger to leave me anticipating book 2.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75⭐️
I really enjoyed the strong FMC, Solana. She’s hired by grieving families to kill the demon versions of their loved ones so they can finally find peace, which immediately made the story feel darker. The kingdom is trying to reverse the curse and turn the demons human again, which added an intriguing layer to the plot beyond just monster hunting.
Solana was easily the highlight for me. I loved how independent, capable, and mysterious she was, especially with her knife that alerts her to demons and her unique ability to control them.
My only real complaint was the romance. It felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the story, and I would’ve liked more development between the characters before the relationship progressed. Overall, though, it was an entertaining fantasy with a compelling premise and a FMC that kept me invested the entire time.
I really enjoyed the strong FMC, Solana. She’s hired by grieving families to kill the demon versions of their loved ones so they can finally find peace, which immediately made the story feel darker. The kingdom is trying to reverse the curse and turn the demons human again, which added an intriguing layer to the plot beyond just monster hunting.
Solana was easily the highlight for me. I loved how independent, capable, and mysterious she was, especially with her knife that alerts her to demons and her unique ability to control them.
My only real complaint was the romance. It felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the story, and I would’ve liked more development between the characters before the relationship progressed. Overall, though, it was an entertaining fantasy with a compelling premise and a FMC that kept me invested the entire time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGallery and MacMillan audio for the ALC!
Overall a 4/5 🌟
I enjoyed how quick and into the book was, it was straight forward with the history and the lore of what has happened which let us to where the book starts. There was a lot given to us in a short amount of time but it was clear to understand. The action scenes were easy to visualize which I always like to see if a book has “fantasy” which this does. I also liked the narrator her pronunciation, and accent worked with the story and she was clear to listen too. Only reason why I say 4/5 stars is because there were some parts where there are unanswered questions, a little bit of side quest plot holes. But for a standalone it was a good read!
Overall a 4/5 🌟
I enjoyed how quick and into the book was, it was straight forward with the history and the lore of what has happened which let us to where the book starts. There was a lot given to us in a short amount of time but it was clear to understand. The action scenes were easy to visualize which I always like to see if a book has “fantasy” which this does. I also liked the narrator her pronunciation, and accent worked with the story and she was clear to listen too. Only reason why I say 4/5 stars is because there were some parts where there are unanswered questions, a little bit of side quest plot holes. But for a standalone it was a good read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Advanced copy from Netgalley— probably more fairly a 3.5-3.75
There is a frantic feeling to this pacing that sometimes didn’t quite land but at the same time felt very accurate to the FMC. She is a character who is running from her past, her hurt, her destiny, and any possible feeling. So, of course the plot races at a frantic pace. I think this is an intentional choice but sometimes I wish there were more transitions/less disjointed moments.
Overall: the world is rich with lore and myth that is utterly captivating. The FMC is unhinged and so are her choices and the pacing. So buckle up, prepare for irresponsible decisions and plot twists, and let this world unfold before you.
There is a frantic feeling to this pacing that sometimes didn’t quite land but at the same time felt very accurate to the FMC. She is a character who is running from her past, her hurt, her destiny, and any possible feeling. So, of course the plot races at a frantic pace. I think this is an intentional choice but sometimes I wish there were more transitions/less disjointed moments.
Overall: the world is rich with lore and myth that is utterly captivating. The FMC is unhinged and so are her choices and the pacing. So buckle up, prepare for irresponsible decisions and plot twists, and let this world unfold before you.
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