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Declivity
Not yet published
Expected 20 May 26The mission is simple. Infiltrate the Elim stronghold. Ascertain the nature of the weapon being used to counteract the storm weaving that keeps us safe. Destroy it, if necessary.
Why is it always the simple mission that goes awry?
Seren Lyracha has never known life without war. For generations, the Elim have systematically annihilated the species of Lirael. Only the Undine have successfully held them back. Desperate to find a way to end the genocide of his people, Seren infiltrates the Elim stronghold to determine the nature of a new weapon that has obliterated the storms summoned to protect the Undine cities. Captured, he finds hope in the most unlikely of places; the enemy.
Cursed and weary of the aeons spent destroying civilisations, Atalya is discovering, one world at a time, that her people have fallen from grace. Sinking into a depressive fugue, she struggles to embrace her place and find peace among the warmongering Elim Host. The closer they come to eliminating the Undine, the deeper her disconnect.
Forced together in a desperate bid for freedom, Seren must convince Atalya that falling is sometimes the only way up; that good is not necessarily right, and that the evil they seek to destroy is perhaps their last bastion of hope.
It is only from the fathoms that one can rise. And sometimes it is violence that cuts us free from the lies that bind us.
A prince desperate to save his kingdom. An angel ready to fall.
Why is it always the simple mission that goes awry?
Seren Lyracha has never known life without war. For generations, the Elim have systematically annihilated the species of Lirael. Only the Undine have successfully held them back. Desperate to find a way to end the genocide of his people, Seren infiltrates the Elim stronghold to determine the nature of a new weapon that has obliterated the storms summoned to protect the Undine cities. Captured, he finds hope in the most unlikely of places; the enemy.
Cursed and weary of the aeons spent destroying civilisations, Atalya is discovering, one world at a time, that her people have fallen from grace. Sinking into a depressive fugue, she struggles to embrace her place and find peace among the warmongering Elim Host. The closer they come to eliminating the Undine, the deeper her disconnect.
Forced together in a desperate bid for freedom, Seren must convince Atalya that falling is sometimes the only way up; that good is not necessarily right, and that the evil they seek to destroy is perhaps their last bastion of hope.
It is only from the fathoms that one can rise. And sometimes it is violence that cuts us free from the lies that bind us.
A prince desperate to save his kingdom. An angel ready to fall.
620 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1
18 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 17, 2026
Thank you Seeley Lynde and BookFunnel for this eARC.
If I could use one word to describe my experience of this book, it would be 'authentic'.
If you like stories that feel moody, layered, and just a little bonkers (with a side of swearing), this one is worth picking up.
I loved the dual POVs of Atalya and Seren, and the found family was done so well. The way grief and big emotions were explored actually felt real, which I don’t always get from big fantasy worlds. Death often feels so small in the face of wars and destruction.
The reactions, responses and motivations of the characters felt so innately real, that I was immersed a couple of chapters in.
I know some reads can feel overwhelming when it comes with a glossary of terms and pronunciations, but this is worth that learning curve ten times over.
Oh, and this book is not about whales. It doesn't matter what got you here - it just matters that you stay!
"Do not all things come from darkness? No. Some things are spun from light."
If I could use one word to describe my experience of this book, it would be 'authentic'.
If you like stories that feel moody, layered, and just a little bonkers (with a side of swearing), this one is worth picking up.
I loved the dual POVs of Atalya and Seren, and the found family was done so well. The way grief and big emotions were explored actually felt real, which I don’t always get from big fantasy worlds. Death often feels so small in the face of wars and destruction.
The reactions, responses and motivations of the characters felt so innately real, that I was immersed a couple of chapters in.
I know some reads can feel overwhelming when it comes with a glossary of terms and pronunciations, but this is worth that learning curve ten times over.
Oh, and this book is not about whales. It doesn't matter what got you here - it just matters that you stay!
"Do not all things come from darkness? No. Some things are spun from light."
April 13, 2026
I had the great pleasure of reading this book early. It was fantastic! The characters felt so real and distinct. The world was so vivid, I felt like I've lived in Lirael. It was brutal and bloody but also there were moments of beauty. The humor hit so well with me. I was laughing out loud so often. The interactions between the Undine reminded me of the banter between the Malazan marines. I had such a great time reading Declivity and can't wait to see what happens next!
February 20, 2026
Out 8 April 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Netherwood Press for the eARC.
If you’ve read Seeley Lynde before, you’ll know one thing: you never know what’s coming.
Declivity is epic fantasy with dystopian undertones, sea-soaked myth, and archangels who have fallen a very long way. It’s ambitious, imaginative, and utterly Lynde in scope. I’m a big fan of her Principalities series (which I loved), and once again I’m blown away by how her mind works. How does she come up with these vast, layered, epic adventures?
The premise is simple - which, of course, means it goes spectacularly wrong.
Seren Lyracha, a prince who has never known peace, infiltrates the Elim stronghold to uncover the secret behind a weapon capable of destroying the storm-weaving that protects his people, the Undine. The Elim travel from world to world annihilating civilisations - but why? Captured during his mission, Seren finds unexpected hope in Atalya, an angel weary of endless destruction and quietly questioning everything she’s been taught.
What follows is slow-burn enemies-to-something-more, political tension, impossible moral choices, and a fight for free will itself.
I loved the found family and banter. Lynde excels at making you care deeply about her ragtag crews - and this one is no exception. Add sea monsters, academies, piratish escapades, evil angels, other species, myths that feel as though they might rise from the page and drag you under… and you’ve got something special.
It’s epic fantasy with heart. Written for everyone - women, men, non-binary readers - a timeless story about freedom, identity, and what it means to fall… and rise.
If you enjoy reinventions of sea fae, archangel lore, found family, relentless characters, and villains on a truly epic scale, this is one to watch.
Take this as your sign to try something new. You won’t regret it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Netherwood Press for the eARC.
If you’ve read Seeley Lynde before, you’ll know one thing: you never know what’s coming.
Declivity is epic fantasy with dystopian undertones, sea-soaked myth, and archangels who have fallen a very long way. It’s ambitious, imaginative, and utterly Lynde in scope. I’m a big fan of her Principalities series (which I loved), and once again I’m blown away by how her mind works. How does she come up with these vast, layered, epic adventures?
The premise is simple - which, of course, means it goes spectacularly wrong.
Seren Lyracha, a prince who has never known peace, infiltrates the Elim stronghold to uncover the secret behind a weapon capable of destroying the storm-weaving that protects his people, the Undine. The Elim travel from world to world annihilating civilisations - but why? Captured during his mission, Seren finds unexpected hope in Atalya, an angel weary of endless destruction and quietly questioning everything she’s been taught.
What follows is slow-burn enemies-to-something-more, political tension, impossible moral choices, and a fight for free will itself.
I loved the found family and banter. Lynde excels at making you care deeply about her ragtag crews - and this one is no exception. Add sea monsters, academies, piratish escapades, evil angels, other species, myths that feel as though they might rise from the page and drag you under… and you’ve got something special.
It’s epic fantasy with heart. Written for everyone - women, men, non-binary readers - a timeless story about freedom, identity, and what it means to fall… and rise.
If you enjoy reinventions of sea fae, archangel lore, found family, relentless characters, and villains on a truly epic scale, this is one to watch.
Take this as your sign to try something new. You won’t regret it!
April 23, 2026
"When you dream , what do you see?"
The Elim have one mission - Infiltrate and Annihilate worlds. But the Lireal refuse to go down easy. When paths are crossed and beliefs are questioned, can the tides be turned ?
This was my first Seely Lynde book and wow. This is a fully immersive Dystopian fantasy , with beautiful prose and so many twists and turns. This is an epic battle of survival, inner strength and freedom.
You will go through a rollercoaster of emotions, there's some really touching moments , and there's some emotional damage coming (I cried).
Atalya - Firstly, I love an FMC who flips people off. She's on a journey of discovery of self , questioning beliefs and overcoming obstacles and I was so rooting for her.
Seren has that cheeky little brother mentality , smart mouthed, quick to action with little thought on consequence - he gives me Peter Pan vibes.
All the character's are so well crafted - Calder with his insessant stupid questions is my favourite!
The humour in this book was great ,
Seren and his band of merry men are snappy and quick witted. The relationship between the brother's felt very authentic.
There's lots of terminology who h can be a little overwhelming at the beginning , but the pay off is so worth it.If you want to be swept away on an adventure that will test the limits , this is for you.
Thanks to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Tropes
- Distopian fantasy
- Found family
- Dual POV
- Elemental Magic
Highlights
- Characters you'll love to hate
- That ending 🤯
Overall 5/5
#thenerdfam #Dystopianfantasy #fantasyreads #foundfamily #bookstagrammer
The Elim have one mission - Infiltrate and Annihilate worlds. But the Lireal refuse to go down easy. When paths are crossed and beliefs are questioned, can the tides be turned ?
This was my first Seely Lynde book and wow. This is a fully immersive Dystopian fantasy , with beautiful prose and so many twists and turns. This is an epic battle of survival, inner strength and freedom.
You will go through a rollercoaster of emotions, there's some really touching moments , and there's some emotional damage coming (I cried).
Atalya - Firstly, I love an FMC who flips people off. She's on a journey of discovery of self , questioning beliefs and overcoming obstacles and I was so rooting for her.
Seren has that cheeky little brother mentality , smart mouthed, quick to action with little thought on consequence - he gives me Peter Pan vibes.
All the character's are so well crafted - Calder with his insessant stupid questions is my favourite!
The humour in this book was great ,
Seren and his band of merry men are snappy and quick witted. The relationship between the brother's felt very authentic.
There's lots of terminology who h can be a little overwhelming at the beginning , but the pay off is so worth it.If you want to be swept away on an adventure that will test the limits , this is for you.
Thanks to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Tropes
- Distopian fantasy
- Found family
- Dual POV
- Elemental Magic
Highlights
- Characters you'll love to hate
- That ending 🤯
Overall 5/5
#thenerdfam #Dystopianfantasy #fantasyreads #foundfamily #bookstagrammer
April 5, 2026
Thank you Seeley Lynde for letting me be an ARC reader!
My opinions are all my own and here’s what I thought:
I want to study Lynde’s brain, because how the heck do you come up with something like this?!?!? It is such a unique world, so many unique species, unique ways of life, and oh my god so many unique plot twists!!! I loved the dual POVs our MCs. The found family was heart warming and it was amazingly written in the sense that we, as the readers, could clearly see how Atalya and Seren processed grief and how they coped with so many big feeling that I think don’t usually get properly represented in books.
This book definitely had its fair share of HILARIOUS conversations and moments. Sometimes i would reread the page just because it was so funny.
I think that with this book it’s more of a found family sorta vibe but still were given little nuggets of Atalya and Seren yearning for each other even if they didn’t really understand it. It was such a great, fun, entertaining read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy!
Only thing I didn’t really enjoy is that it took me awhile to understand the world and what each species called each other and what all the unique animals were. It was just confusing but once you got through it, it was so rewarding!
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
Hopefully it comes soon cause I cannot wait too dive back into this world!!!!!!!
My opinions are all my own and here’s what I thought:
I want to study Lynde’s brain, because how the heck do you come up with something like this?!?!? It is such a unique world, so many unique species, unique ways of life, and oh my god so many unique plot twists!!! I loved the dual POVs our MCs. The found family was heart warming and it was amazingly written in the sense that we, as the readers, could clearly see how Atalya and Seren processed grief and how they coped with so many big feeling that I think don’t usually get properly represented in books.
This book definitely had its fair share of HILARIOUS conversations and moments. Sometimes i would reread the page just because it was so funny.
I think that with this book it’s more of a found family sorta vibe but still were given little nuggets of Atalya and Seren yearning for each other even if they didn’t really understand it. It was such a great, fun, entertaining read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy!
Only thing I didn’t really enjoy is that it took me awhile to understand the world and what each species called each other and what all the unique animals were. It was just confusing but once you got through it, it was so rewarding!
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
Hopefully it comes soon cause I cannot wait too dive back into this world!!!!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A huge thank you to Seeley for including me in the ARC team for Declivity.
I absolutely adored the Principalities series so when she was hinting at writing something totally different I was absolutely on board. Declivity is an epic fantasy that is absolutely rich in World building and mythos. This world is so insanely detailed that I found myself totally emersed and when I would read I felt I was right there along with the charcters living this insanely epic tale.
The story follows two main charcters who are on opposite sides of an endless battle. But expands as their worlds are brought together in a moment that will leave them both changed forever. Seren is a prince who has been born and raised in battle. His people, The Undine live in the water and have been fighting the Elim, who rule the skies as murderous archangels with deadly powers. Atalya is one of their highest ranking... but she is so curious about the world outside of what she knows.
Her journey through her own beliefs and self growth was easily my favorite part of this book. Her development as a character being broken completely down and then rediscovering who she is was so well done. I absolutely adored her and her found family.
I highly recommend this book for fans of fantasy and stories of friendships that run deeper than most.
I absolutely adored the Principalities series so when she was hinting at writing something totally different I was absolutely on board. Declivity is an epic fantasy that is absolutely rich in World building and mythos. This world is so insanely detailed that I found myself totally emersed and when I would read I felt I was right there along with the charcters living this insanely epic tale.
The story follows two main charcters who are on opposite sides of an endless battle. But expands as their worlds are brought together in a moment that will leave them both changed forever. Seren is a prince who has been born and raised in battle. His people, The Undine live in the water and have been fighting the Elim, who rule the skies as murderous archangels with deadly powers. Atalya is one of their highest ranking... but she is so curious about the world outside of what she knows.
Her journey through her own beliefs and self growth was easily my favorite part of this book. Her development as a character being broken completely down and then rediscovering who she is was so well done. I absolutely adored her and her found family.
I highly recommend this book for fans of fantasy and stories of friendships that run deeper than most.
May 4, 2026
An epic fantasy with a dystopian vibes, this immersive world full of realistic characters had me hooked from the start.
You follow two main characters, our MMC who is a part of a ruling family of one of the underwater/floating cities that have survived the arrival of superior beings with powers come to takeover their land including the FMC, who’s an even more powerful version. You follow them both as their paths cross and the FMC makes a decision to reject her way of life and not kill the inhabitants of this world like she has for longer than imaginable and instead allows herself to be captured and unfortunately gets her wings cut off by the MMC. You follow them both as she learns to integrate into their society and he deals with the repercussions of his actions and their world falling apart because of her people.
The emotionally deep and complex characters that show true devastation at losses and a bond amongst their found family made me feel for their struggles as they loose control of their world and do anything to hold on. I enjoyed the magic system of elemental type powers and how the different types of magic help with their survival and magical creatures also assist. It painted such an immersive picture of their complex world I felt like I was there too and their society being on the cusp of loosing everything had me on the edge of my seat! Overall my rating 4.6/5!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!
You follow two main characters, our MMC who is a part of a ruling family of one of the underwater/floating cities that have survived the arrival of superior beings with powers come to takeover their land including the FMC, who’s an even more powerful version. You follow them both as their paths cross and the FMC makes a decision to reject her way of life and not kill the inhabitants of this world like she has for longer than imaginable and instead allows herself to be captured and unfortunately gets her wings cut off by the MMC. You follow them both as she learns to integrate into their society and he deals with the repercussions of his actions and their world falling apart because of her people.
The emotionally deep and complex characters that show true devastation at losses and a bond amongst their found family made me feel for their struggles as they loose control of their world and do anything to hold on. I enjoyed the magic system of elemental type powers and how the different types of magic help with their survival and magical creatures also assist. It painted such an immersive picture of their complex world I felt like I was there too and their society being on the cusp of loosing everything had me on the edge of my seat! Overall my rating 4.6/5!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!
April 16, 2026
Thoughts:
If you're into:
✅ Dual POVs
✅ Dystopian Romance
✅ Found Family
✅ Peaches
Then I think this book is for you!
✨ Characters:
I know that people talk about the world building, but the characters were in my opinion the interesting part of this book. Atalya, Seren, Ezekiel, some others that I want to choke etc., the way they acted and the relationships in this book familial or not it was so... It's hard to describe but I just loved them.
💖 Pacing:
I'd say it's fast paced, it's around 500 pages but I got through it in under 2-3 hours because I just COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. When you start you're just immediately dropped into the action, no time to breathe because nuh uh it's time to run. You feel like you're with the character, and it just felt so immersive. With the way the book was written it was like you were inside the characters heads, heck you could feel like YOU are the character yourself.
🍪 Ending:
The plot twist, the world building, and the words I just couldn't pronounce. I loved it to the very end and I totally wasn't just sitting on the couch for an hour staring up at the ceiling afterwards... Yeah. Can't wait for the next books in this series!
If you're into:
✅ Dual POVs
✅ Dystopian Romance
✅ Found Family
✅ Peaches
Then I think this book is for you!
✨ Characters:
I know that people talk about the world building, but the characters were in my opinion the interesting part of this book. Atalya, Seren, Ezekiel, some others that I want to choke etc., the way they acted and the relationships in this book familial or not it was so... It's hard to describe but I just loved them.
💖 Pacing:
I'd say it's fast paced, it's around 500 pages but I got through it in under 2-3 hours because I just COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. When you start you're just immediately dropped into the action, no time to breathe because nuh uh it's time to run. You feel like you're with the character, and it just felt so immersive. With the way the book was written it was like you were inside the characters heads, heck you could feel like YOU are the character yourself.
🍪 Ending:
The plot twist, the world building, and the words I just couldn't pronounce. I loved it to the very end and I totally wasn't just sitting on the couch for an hour staring up at the ceiling afterwards... Yeah. Can't wait for the next books in this series!
April 22, 2026
When you dream, what do you see?
This month I got the chance to arc read the new @seeleylynde book Declivity 🐋 and wow, this book has had me in a chokehold for the last few days and now I don't know what to do with myself.
The world building was intense to start off with, however the imagery descriptions are something I could only ever dream of writing. The relationships between the characters felt real, and the love and pain they went through, I also felt with every fibre of my being. The relationship between Seren and his brothers was comforting and heartbreaking, and his relationship with Atalya was beautiful. There were so many twists and turns in this book, and I didn't see any of them coming. I laughed so many times, and cried in equal numbers.
I definitely had a soft spot for Nyx during the book (who didn't??) but I loved Atalya. She was strong, feisty, and continually questioned her place until it felt right. (And the descriptions of her looking like she'd taken a bath in a sunset were just dreamy 🌄)
And easy 5 ⭐ read, and one everyone should be adding to their TBR on release day ✨
This month I got the chance to arc read the new @seeleylynde book Declivity 🐋 and wow, this book has had me in a chokehold for the last few days and now I don't know what to do with myself.
The world building was intense to start off with, however the imagery descriptions are something I could only ever dream of writing. The relationships between the characters felt real, and the love and pain they went through, I also felt with every fibre of my being. The relationship between Seren and his brothers was comforting and heartbreaking, and his relationship with Atalya was beautiful. There were so many twists and turns in this book, and I didn't see any of them coming. I laughed so many times, and cried in equal numbers.
I definitely had a soft spot for Nyx during the book (who didn't??) but I loved Atalya. She was strong, feisty, and continually questioned her place until it felt right. (And the descriptions of her looking like she'd taken a bath in a sunset were just dreamy 🌄)
And easy 5 ⭐ read, and one everyone should be adding to their TBR on release day ✨
April 21, 2026
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
I gave this a 4 star rating because the names has me confused from the beginning. The storyline is great and unique, so I gave the characters my own name and kept reading. Starts off in the middle of battle between Undine and Elim showing us who has what talent and who is superior to each other. Each character is very distinct and frankly, I’ve had not read about this before. The plot twist took me by surprise I did not expect that I thought I had figure out the story, but the author tricked me with her creative writing skills. The character development is fantastic and aids to the storyline. The way each character reaches their own conclusion motivates the writing and my heart did not take it well when the book ended. As much as I hate cliffhangers, the little bit of epilogue she left had me intrigued and I cannot wait for the second part 💙
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was an amazing read! It had themes of politics, war, religion, friendship, and love. The world that was built was truly beautiful. The people of the sea and sky clash in battle and war that has spanned throughout very many years. The battle scenes were action packed and so well written that it felt like I was watching it happen in front of me. But I would say that my favorite part of this book are the characters. Seeley Lynde did an amazing job with not only the main characters, but all those around them too. I loved that there were moments of humor as much as there were moments of hurt and pain. The ways that the characters connected with each other was truly a masterpiece and these are some of my favorite characters I have read about, especially Seren. I found him randomly hilarious!! I highly recommend getting this book when it comes out!! You will not be disappointed!
Read
April 8, 2026I was lucky enough to receive an arc. This is one chonky book at almost 600 pages! It has a huge scope, full epic fantasy with myths, monsters, politics, the works. In classic fantasy style there are so many new words for things to understand which I did find a little difficult in this one. Some of the titles seemed overly complicated but once I got my head around them it was fine. I would not like to try pronounce them out loud though 🤪
The characters were a big draw for me. Every one felt so real and I loved the banter between them. Very found family vibes with lots of emotion.
This is the first book in a series so there will be more in this world.
I definitely recommend this one for lovers of full epic fantasy worlds.
The characters were a big draw for me. Every one felt so real and I loved the banter between them. Very found family vibes with lots of emotion.
This is the first book in a series so there will be more in this world.
I definitely recommend this one for lovers of full epic fantasy worlds.
March 13, 2026
I read this as an ARC and this is my honest review.
First off - Thank you Seeley for giving me this opportunity to read this amazing book.
This world was amazing, the world building the battles between the Undine and Elim. From cities made from ships then sinking to the bottom of the ocean to hidden cities in the middle of nowhere, to the mythical creatures and the creatures of the sea. This epic fantasy takes you on a tale that you want more of. I am looking forward to rereading this story again and for book 2 to be released.
please note - this is an epic fantasy story. there is no romance in this book.
First off - Thank you Seeley for giving me this opportunity to read this amazing book.
This world was amazing, the world building the battles between the Undine and Elim. From cities made from ships then sinking to the bottom of the ocean to hidden cities in the middle of nowhere, to the mythical creatures and the creatures of the sea. This epic fantasy takes you on a tale that you want more of. I am looking forward to rereading this story again and for book 2 to be released.
please note - this is an epic fantasy story. there is no romance in this book.
March 30, 2026
Declivity is such a standout read. Seeley Lynde builds a world that feels genuinely fresh, and the story goes in directions I didn’t expect in the best way. It’s unique without ever feeling confusing, atmospheric without dragging, and the kind of book that quietly hooks you until you realise you’ve been fully absorbed for hours. I loved how different it felt from anything else I’ve picked up lately. It’s the kind of story that reminds me why I love finding hidden‑gem authors. Truly something special. By the time I finished, I just sat there appreciating how rare it is to find a book this original.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The lore? The character arcs? The betrayal? I cannot get over how well this book was thought out. Every part of this book had such a depth to it that was amazing. I had a feeling like something was going to happen at the end and was so sad that I was correct.
That being said, I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. I really hope we get the next book soon because I need to know what they’re gonna do.
This book is pretty long and took me about a week to get through. That being said, I think it was time well spent. This book was such a vibe and I know I will be thinking about it for a while.
That being said, I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. I really hope we get the next book soon because I need to know what they’re gonna do.
This book is pretty long and took me about a week to get through. That being said, I think it was time well spent. This book was such a vibe and I know I will be thinking about it for a while.
April 20, 2026
I had such a great time reading this book, it hooked me straight away and I honestly struggled to put it down. I loved the dual POV because it made everything feel deeper getting both sides of the story, and the characters felt really real and easy to connect to. The world was super immersive, and I liked how it balanced darker, more intense moments with bits of humour and lighter interactions. The found family vibes and how it handled bigger emotions like grief were done really well too. Overall, it was such an enjoyable, character-driven read.
April 26, 2026
Thank you Seeley Lynde and Nerd Fam for this ARC read! I loved this book! The world was so unique and interesting and the characters were easy to enjoy. The magic is very different from other recent fantasy reads, and a unique dystopian world with deep sea connections. Many twists that left you guessing on who is good, and who is not and all those in between. For those who usually follow my reviews, note I loved this one but there is not a hot pepper in sight. Such good substance and relationships I didn't even mind! I cannot wait for this story to continue!
April 2, 2026
Right from the get-go we’re plunged into the action as the Undine and Elim battle for supremacy. I have a soft spot for fantasy books with angels/winged beings but aside from that this book hit so many high points:
🪽 A fight for survival from genocide
⛈️ Elemental magic (storms vs sunlight)
🪽 Good characters and development
⛈️ Dual POVs
🪽 An intriguing quest to uncover a mystery (although I was expecting the mystery to stay mysterious it did fit in well with where the story went)
⛈️ Just a few twists in the last quarter! 🤯
Nothing was explained away or made easy. We are taken on the journey with each of the characters which provided a lot of depth without feeling overly burdensome. This is a fantastic start to a new fantasy series and I’m super keen to read book 2 when Seeley releases it.
🪽 A fight for survival from genocide
⛈️ Elemental magic (storms vs sunlight)
🪽 Good characters and development
⛈️ Dual POVs
🪽 An intriguing quest to uncover a mystery (although I was expecting the mystery to stay mysterious it did fit in well with where the story went)
⛈️ Just a few twists in the last quarter! 🤯
Nothing was explained away or made easy. We are taken on the journey with each of the characters which provided a lot of depth without feeling overly burdensome. This is a fantastic start to a new fantasy series and I’m super keen to read book 2 when Seeley releases it.
Read
May 6, 20264.5
Full review to come
Full review to come
April 27, 2026
I was very surprised by this book. A book for deep thinkers even though it comes off as simple and straightforward.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I first read this book as a beta reader, and while I loved it then, I have since read it as an arc reader and somehow it is even better! I was hooked from the start, entering a fantasy world wrecked by war as beings with wings attempt to annihilate all beings who live there. This is a duel POV with two main characters, Seren, an Undine native to Lirael living his life on and in the water, and Atalya, an Elim who has spent centuries infultrating worlds and killing in the name of Him.
This is an epic fantasy, featuring an original world that is huge in scope and reveals more about its history and people with each chapter. And alongside this amazing worldbuilding, various friendships and familial relationships develop full of both care for one another and tensions. I loved Seeley Lynde's previous series, but wow Declivity is somehow leaps and bounds better!
This book is for the fantasy lovers, those who love to explore new worlds and new civilisations. Please, if fantasy is your genre you have to read Declivity!
Thank you Seeley Lynde for this ARC!
This is an epic fantasy, featuring an original world that is huge in scope and reveals more about its history and people with each chapter. And alongside this amazing worldbuilding, various friendships and familial relationships develop full of both care for one another and tensions. I loved Seeley Lynde's previous series, but wow Declivity is somehow leaps and bounds better!
This book is for the fantasy lovers, those who love to explore new worlds and new civilisations. Please, if fantasy is your genre you have to read Declivity!
Thank you Seeley Lynde for this ARC!
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