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Hail the Rising Tides
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26Prim and prideful Ione possesses the Moon Goddess’s spirit and a harrowing fate: overpower the wrathful Sun God and sweep His murderous pyromancers into the sea. But attaining divine ascension is easier said than done, and the longer Ione takes to save her people, the more impatient her conniving archpriest becomes.
Quiet, distrusting Lina has had more than enough of bloodshed. After escaping immolation by Sun-worshipers, she gains a new lease on life as a nameless acolyte of the Moon Goddess. That is until she catches the eye of Lady Ione, whose captivation with Lina has caused the Goddess to stir within her for the first time.
As temples burn and Ione’s archpriest launches treacherous gambits of his own, Ione and Lina’s alliance deepens into something neither of them anticipated. If Ione’s enemies reach her before she can awaken the Moon Goddess, everyone she loves will go up in flames.
But if she succeeds, the Sun cult will be annihilated - including Lina, whose past as a Sun priestess cannot remain hidden forever.
Quiet, distrusting Lina has had more than enough of bloodshed. After escaping immolation by Sun-worshipers, she gains a new lease on life as a nameless acolyte of the Moon Goddess. That is until she catches the eye of Lady Ione, whose captivation with Lina has caused the Goddess to stir within her for the first time.
As temples burn and Ione’s archpriest launches treacherous gambits of his own, Ione and Lina’s alliance deepens into something neither of them anticipated. If Ione’s enemies reach her before she can awaken the Moon Goddess, everyone she loves will go up in flames.
But if she succeeds, the Sun cult will be annihilated - including Lina, whose past as a Sun priestess cannot remain hidden forever.
446 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 7, 2026
227 people want to read
About the author
Kat Kraehen
1 book13 followersKat is an artist and writer of queer fantasy who realised that dumping all their trauma onto characters was way cheaper and artsier than therapy. When not writing, they can be found drawing, taking naps, or enjoying cute little drinks such as choccy milk or this cherry blossom frappe thing that their local bubble tea place makes. They enjoy sushi and guacamole on toast, probably not at the same time, but they’ll try anything once. They live in sunny (HA) western Ireland with their husband and black cat familiar, Jiji.
Their debut, a standalone queer fantasy titled Hail the Rising Tides, will be released in spring of 2026.
Their debut, a standalone queer fantasy titled Hail the Rising Tides, will be released in spring of 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 23, 2025
Super excited for this!
March 18, 2026
Can I just say WOW!! This book was so good!
All of the characters were great! There were 4 pov’s and all of them showed each character’s personality perfectly! I adored and cared about all of the main characters! One did not outshine the other, all of the pov were all equally their own and so well written! Can you hate and love a character at the same time? Yes that is possible haha! Kai was that for me, however I ended up really liking his character! He had a good arc and he got slapped (a lot) haha
The magic system was so cool! I enjoyed the differences between the hydromancy and pyromancy magic! The fight scenes were AWESOME! So well done and had me on the edge of my seat! The idea behind the Gods was so unique and different, I really enjoyed them!
The story itself was so well done! I haven’t read anything like this! About halfway through, I did not want to put it down! I devoured the rest of the book so quickly!
This was a well written debut novel! I enjoyed these characters so much! I also love that the author is also the artist for the cover and characters! I hope to be able to see these characters again because they have my heart! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I feel so honored to have been able to read this book! 💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
All of the characters were great! There were 4 pov’s and all of them showed each character’s personality perfectly! I adored and cared about all of the main characters! One did not outshine the other, all of the pov were all equally their own and so well written! Can you hate and love a character at the same time? Yes that is possible haha! Kai was that for me, however I ended up really liking his character! He had a good arc and he got slapped (a lot) haha
The magic system was so cool! I enjoyed the differences between the hydromancy and pyromancy magic! The fight scenes were AWESOME! So well done and had me on the edge of my seat! The idea behind the Gods was so unique and different, I really enjoyed them!
The story itself was so well done! I haven’t read anything like this! About halfway through, I did not want to put it down! I devoured the rest of the book so quickly!
This was a well written debut novel! I enjoyed these characters so much! I also love that the author is also the artist for the cover and characters! I hope to be able to see these characters again because they have my heart! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I feel so honored to have been able to read this book! 💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. Many thanks to Kat Kraehen for the opportunity to read it early!
I’ve been looking forward to HAIL THE RISING TIDES for months, and I’m delighted to say that it’s every bit as enjoyable as I hoped. The world Kraehen built in this story is rich and fascinating, real and visceral from the very first page. I especially found the magic system to be a unique take on elemental magic—wonderfully reminiscent of water/firebending in Avatar the Last Airbender!
Of course, what stands out most in this gem of a book are the characters. Having admired Kraehen’s artwork of the characters, I felt like I already knew them as I read, and it was really cool to get to finally know their whole stories. Ione, Lina, Kai, and River come to life on the page, and their dynamics are super fun. By the end of the book, I felt like they were my friends.
I was getting nervous around the 70% mark when so many things still needed to be resolved, but ultimately the book wrapped up with a satisfying—if very unexpected—conclusion. What starts as a slow progression of events escalates into a heart-pounding conflict that kept me wondering how the hell the characters would make it out.
I very much enjoyed this read, so if you’re a fan of character-driven fantasy with a simmering smidge of romance in the background, definitely pick this up.
I’ve been looking forward to HAIL THE RISING TIDES for months, and I’m delighted to say that it’s every bit as enjoyable as I hoped. The world Kraehen built in this story is rich and fascinating, real and visceral from the very first page. I especially found the magic system to be a unique take on elemental magic—wonderfully reminiscent of water/firebending in Avatar the Last Airbender!
Of course, what stands out most in this gem of a book are the characters. Having admired Kraehen’s artwork of the characters, I felt like I already knew them as I read, and it was really cool to get to finally know their whole stories. Ione, Lina, Kai, and River come to life on the page, and their dynamics are super fun. By the end of the book, I felt like they were my friends.
I was getting nervous around the 70% mark when so many things still needed to be resolved, but ultimately the book wrapped up with a satisfying—if very unexpected—conclusion. What starts as a slow progression of events escalates into a heart-pounding conflict that kept me wondering how the hell the characters would make it out.
I very much enjoyed this read, so if you’re a fan of character-driven fantasy with a simmering smidge of romance in the background, definitely pick this up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Actual Rating: 4.5
You should ABSOLUTELY judge this book by its cover, by which I mean: It. Is. Beautiful. I instantly fell in love with Ione, and the quiet development of Lina made her such a rich character over the long term! River was the perfect chevalier-bestie, and Kai. Well, Kai needs a slap in the face (but he got plenty, don't worry). For anybody who is a fan of Sarah Beth Durst's Queens of Renthia series or Roseanne A. Brown's A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, you should run (not walk) to your nearest The Internet and pick this baby up!
In Hail the Rising Tides, Kraehen explores what it means to be Enough, to be perfect or what is expected of you, to be lovable and wanted through queer-platonic and romantic relationships. The book is such an emotional rollercoaster, and it's done masterfully. Kraehen introduces twists to plot and to character in ways that ramp up the intensity while keeping everything moving forward. There was A Moment (among many other powerful/important moments) where I had to put the book down and have a good cry (you will know it when you get to it!), and there are some lines especially in later parts of the book that are so raw or beautiful that the Feelings Train never stops moving.
Kraehen's choice to have four distinct PoV characters really worked to give a much more expansive story than we might have had if it were just Ione or just one of the couples, each character brought so much to the story not just in terms of what events could unfold but also in terms of how they see each other developing. All our MCs to some degree or another effectively have the rug pulled out from under them as Major Events drastically change their relationships with each other and the world, and I appreciate that each of them seems to deal with it in different ways that at the same time weave them together or draw them apart, depending.
I love the world, and I love that it is allowed to take shape through the story without ever bogging it down with explicit descriptions of magic systems and ritual beyond what is important to the story itself. Hail the Rising Tides comes to such a satisfying and beautiful conclusion that we don't need more - what is important is Menon, and Sowelan, and their communities of worshipers in conflict.
I enjoyed some of Kraehen's dialogue choices that showed different class/heritage of the different characters, especially the choice to use "yous" and "yous all" for a plural second person. I did struggle with Kai's early chapters but only because I dislike bullies and, well. The boy has issues. Which should really be taken as a testament to Kraehen's writing ability, to create a characters who is compelling despite his intense unlikability.
Finally, I think Hail the Rising Tides would make an incredible graphic novel - not just because I know Kraehen is a fantastic artist (do yourself a favor and go check out all the character art on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katkraehena...) - but because I think the best writing is character interaction/internal monologue and their narrative shaping of space.
This is a debut that should not be ignored or left to languish on a TBR and I cannot wait to see what Kraehen dreams up next!
(Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a free copy, this is my unbiased and honest review)
You should ABSOLUTELY judge this book by its cover, by which I mean: It. Is. Beautiful. I instantly fell in love with Ione, and the quiet development of Lina made her such a rich character over the long term! River was the perfect chevalier-bestie, and Kai. Well, Kai needs a slap in the face (but he got plenty, don't worry). For anybody who is a fan of Sarah Beth Durst's Queens of Renthia series or Roseanne A. Brown's A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, you should run (not walk) to your nearest The Internet and pick this baby up!
"She was born with the Moon Goddess Menon’s blessing, worshipped by the high priests and raised as the saviour of Menon’s disciples. Ione was a beacon of hope, a harbinger of peace for her people– and of the end of times for the Sun God Sowelan’s cruel apostles. But Menon’s divine grace did not come with instructions."
In Hail the Rising Tides, Kraehen explores what it means to be Enough, to be perfect or what is expected of you, to be lovable and wanted through queer-platonic and romantic relationships. The book is such an emotional rollercoaster, and it's done masterfully. Kraehen introduces twists to plot and to character in ways that ramp up the intensity while keeping everything moving forward. There was A Moment (among many other powerful/important moments) where I had to put the book down and have a good cry (you will know it when you get to it!), and there are some lines especially in later parts of the book that are so raw or beautiful that the Feelings Train never stops moving.
Kraehen's choice to have four distinct PoV characters really worked to give a much more expansive story than we might have had if it were just Ione or just one of the couples, each character brought so much to the story not just in terms of what events could unfold but also in terms of how they see each other developing. All our MCs to some degree or another effectively have the rug pulled out from under them as Major Events drastically change their relationships with each other and the world, and I appreciate that each of them seems to deal with it in different ways that at the same time weave them together or draw them apart, depending.
I love the world, and I love that it is allowed to take shape through the story without ever bogging it down with explicit descriptions of magic systems and ritual beyond what is important to the story itself. Hail the Rising Tides comes to such a satisfying and beautiful conclusion that we don't need more - what is important is Menon, and Sowelan, and their communities of worshipers in conflict.
I enjoyed some of Kraehen's dialogue choices that showed different class/heritage of the different characters, especially the choice to use "yous" and "yous all" for a plural second person. I did struggle with Kai's early chapters but only because I dislike bullies and, well. The boy has issues. Which should really be taken as a testament to Kraehen's writing ability, to create a characters who is compelling despite his intense unlikability.
Finally, I think Hail the Rising Tides would make an incredible graphic novel - not just because I know Kraehen is a fantastic artist (do yourself a favor and go check out all the character art on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katkraehena...) - but because I think the best writing is character interaction/internal monologue and their narrative shaping of space.
This is a debut that should not be ignored or left to languish on a TBR and I cannot wait to see what Kraehen dreams up next!
(Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a free copy, this is my unbiased and honest review)
Review of advance copy received from Author
From page one, this story had me on tenterhooks. This is going to be a TREAT for anyone who likes a hefty serving of intrigue, danger, secrets, queerness, neurodiversity, and spice with their fantasy.
I was especially taken with the friendship, love, and found family themes, which are always dear to my heart. I loved the contrast in realistic depictions of "didn't always do it right, but doing their best" familial figures with those who are genuinely, nail-bitingly malicious, but which society still expects the younger generation to revere - and how damaging that expectation can be. Sibling tensions (both rivalrous and murderous) are also a STRONG theme here.
This is a multi-POV story and it really deserves to be, because each of the four narrative characters is lovable, sympathetic, and completely unique in their background, goals, and their narrative voices. Despite the fact that I am often leery of stories that hop to different perspectives, I found I didn't mind whoever was stealing the spotlight in a given moment in Hail the Rising Tides, because I just wanted more and more of ALL FOUR OF THEM. I can't imagine this book any other way. The author truly did it justice. The complicated relationships between the four main characters were also handled with taste and sensitivity to what they would "really do" (or feel tempted to do, but resist) in the situations they faced. I appreciated that the spicy scenes felt earned and special within each relationship, even if what that meant differed wildly when comparing each relationship as a reader. I couldn't get enough.
Another thing I appreciated so much with this book was how the author represented the human-made parts of the dominant religions in this world, which center around the deities of the moon and sun - this book doesn't hide from factionalism and self-serving agendas, and also shows different perspectives and relationships among characters who have had very different experiences with religion and religious followers. Also I just ADORED the insect-like imagery that surfaced in depictions of anything relating to the moon goddess, it felt so refreshing (in sometimes the most morbidly fascinating way) to see a "celestial" deity associated with sensations of creepy crawly unease. I went in expecting the usual starry purity moon-phase and tidal glow vibes, and instead I got BUGS and seething bug-parts, and it was PERFECT/gross, it completely upended my impression of what a moon goddess "should be like" and that tension is echoed so well in how the religious practitioners characterize their goddess versus the visceral, inexplicable, sometimes awful experiences had by the character INHABITED by aspects of that goddess. It opened my eyes to how uncomfortable and eldritch and fascinating a deity might be from a direct "mortal" perspective, and how disinterested that deity might be in conforming to human ideas of what/who they "ought to be." I lost count of how many semi-repulsed, fully-appreciative shivers the descriptions gave me. Well worth it, and something I would recommend both to readers who enjoy "hands on" deities in fantasy settings, as well as readers who tend to shy from that content - the unreadability of the gods even to their most 'lofty' or 'favored' followers really makes it sing.
And I can't leave off without first raving about the jaw-dropping, gorgeous COVER ART, which is the author's own original work. I need more of this.
I had the privilege of receiving a free ARC of this book. My review is my own opinion!
I was especially taken with the friendship, love, and found family themes, which are always dear to my heart. I loved the contrast in realistic depictions of "didn't always do it right, but doing their best" familial figures with those who are genuinely, nail-bitingly malicious, but which society still expects the younger generation to revere - and how damaging that expectation can be. Sibling tensions (both rivalrous and murderous) are also a STRONG theme here.
This is a multi-POV story and it really deserves to be, because each of the four narrative characters is lovable, sympathetic, and completely unique in their background, goals, and their narrative voices. Despite the fact that I am often leery of stories that hop to different perspectives, I found I didn't mind whoever was stealing the spotlight in a given moment in Hail the Rising Tides, because I just wanted more and more of ALL FOUR OF THEM. I can't imagine this book any other way. The author truly did it justice. The complicated relationships between the four main characters were also handled with taste and sensitivity to what they would "really do" (or feel tempted to do, but resist) in the situations they faced. I appreciated that the spicy scenes felt earned and special within each relationship, even if what that meant differed wildly when comparing each relationship as a reader. I couldn't get enough.
Another thing I appreciated so much with this book was how the author represented the human-made parts of the dominant religions in this world, which center around the deities of the moon and sun - this book doesn't hide from factionalism and self-serving agendas, and also shows different perspectives and relationships among characters who have had very different experiences with religion and religious followers. Also I just ADORED the insect-like imagery that surfaced in depictions of anything relating to the moon goddess, it felt so refreshing (in sometimes the most morbidly fascinating way) to see a "celestial" deity associated with sensations of creepy crawly unease. I went in expecting the usual starry purity moon-phase and tidal glow vibes, and instead I got BUGS and seething bug-parts, and it was PERFECT/gross, it completely upended my impression of what a moon goddess "should be like" and that tension is echoed so well in how the religious practitioners characterize their goddess versus the visceral, inexplicable, sometimes awful experiences had by the character INHABITED by aspects of that goddess. It opened my eyes to how uncomfortable and eldritch and fascinating a deity might be from a direct "mortal" perspective, and how disinterested that deity might be in conforming to human ideas of what/who they "ought to be." I lost count of how many semi-repulsed, fully-appreciative shivers the descriptions gave me. Well worth it, and something I would recommend both to readers who enjoy "hands on" deities in fantasy settings, as well as readers who tend to shy from that content - the unreadability of the gods even to their most 'lofty' or 'favored' followers really makes it sing.
And I can't leave off without first raving about the jaw-dropping, gorgeous COVER ART, which is the author's own original work. I need more of this.
I had the privilege of receiving a free ARC of this book. My review is my own opinion!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you, Kat, for the ARC! (Available April 7, 2026).
First of all let me just say that I’m IN LOVE with this book and these characters!! The magic system is really interesting. I love that it includes sun/moon and fire/water elements!
Ione is the reincarnation of the Moon goddess Menon, and possesses water magic. She struggles to harness that magic, but her growth throughout the story is phenomenal! Her guard, River, doesn’t possess any magic, but that doesn’t stop him from being an absolute badass. Lina is a girl who possesses fire magic, but escapes from her abusive home and takes shelter in Oseidos, where Ione and River live. Kai is a powerful water wielder who becomes employed as a warden to protect Oseidos, and later begins teaching Ione how to strengthen her own powers. The four form an unlikely alliance between each other, and they all grow in such an inspiring way.
I usually am not a fan of books with more than 2 POVS because I often end up getting confused along the way. However, this book is actually enhanced by having POVs from each of the 4 main characters! It really helps to establish who each person is and the struggles they personally face. I truly fell in love with all of them because they’re so well written. They’re all snarky and messy, complex individuals who strive to better themselves in different ways. It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but I think if I had to choose it would be Kai 🤭 He’s such a fun character and I was really rooting for him from the very beginning.
The writing itself is also beautiful. It’s witty and immersive and easy to follow. It had lots of twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting, keeping me on my toes as I read. If you’re looking for political intrigue, LGBTQ+ representation, with elemental magic, then look no further!! As much as I love longer series, I do really love a good standalone book too, and this one is wrapped up so beautifully that I’m not left with a bunch of questions. Also, if you haven’t seen the character art that Kat has done, I highly encourage you to check it out!! Everything Kat does is stunning and is what initially drew me into wanting to read the book!
First of all let me just say that I’m IN LOVE with this book and these characters!! The magic system is really interesting. I love that it includes sun/moon and fire/water elements!
Ione is the reincarnation of the Moon goddess Menon, and possesses water magic. She struggles to harness that magic, but her growth throughout the story is phenomenal! Her guard, River, doesn’t possess any magic, but that doesn’t stop him from being an absolute badass. Lina is a girl who possesses fire magic, but escapes from her abusive home and takes shelter in Oseidos, where Ione and River live. Kai is a powerful water wielder who becomes employed as a warden to protect Oseidos, and later begins teaching Ione how to strengthen her own powers. The four form an unlikely alliance between each other, and they all grow in such an inspiring way.
I usually am not a fan of books with more than 2 POVS because I often end up getting confused along the way. However, this book is actually enhanced by having POVs from each of the 4 main characters! It really helps to establish who each person is and the struggles they personally face. I truly fell in love with all of them because they’re so well written. They’re all snarky and messy, complex individuals who strive to better themselves in different ways. It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but I think if I had to choose it would be Kai 🤭 He’s such a fun character and I was really rooting for him from the very beginning.
The writing itself is also beautiful. It’s witty and immersive and easy to follow. It had lots of twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting, keeping me on my toes as I read. If you’re looking for political intrigue, LGBTQ+ representation, with elemental magic, then look no further!! As much as I love longer series, I do really love a good standalone book too, and this one is wrapped up so beautifully that I’m not left with a bunch of questions. Also, if you haven’t seen the character art that Kat has done, I highly encourage you to check it out!! Everything Kat does is stunning and is what initially drew me into wanting to read the book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4/5
Thank you to the author, Kat Kraehen, for providing me with an ARC of "Hail the Rising Tides" in exchange for an honest review!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I found the story to be super interesting, and I really loved Ione. I would do anything for Ione, I think.
Right from the plot blurb, I was intrigued. A sapphic romance between the vessel of the Moon Goddess and a former Sun God priestess? Sign me up! Adding in the characters like River, Cynthia, and Kai made it even more interesting, and I liked the way that the PoV chapters switched between Ione, Lina, River, and Kai to give us the full story. I will say here that I wished there was a little more of Lina and Ione, as much as I liked River and Kai, it felt like they overshadowed the other two, which was a little sad given that Lina and Ione are the selling point in the blurb. I still really liked River and Kai and getting their PoVs though! I just wish there was more Ione and Lina (especially Ione!).
Once the plot started moving, I was incredibly invested. I didn't really expect any of what happened towards the end, which made it all the better to me. This is a spoiler-free review, so I won't say more, but I do think what happened was pretty well done!
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book and I'm grateful to have received an ARC of it from the author!
Thank you to the author, Kat Kraehen, for providing me with an ARC of "Hail the Rising Tides" in exchange for an honest review!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I found the story to be super interesting, and I really loved Ione. I would do anything for Ione, I think.
Right from the plot blurb, I was intrigued. A sapphic romance between the vessel of the Moon Goddess and a former Sun God priestess? Sign me up! Adding in the characters like River, Cynthia, and Kai made it even more interesting, and I liked the way that the PoV chapters switched between Ione, Lina, River, and Kai to give us the full story. I will say here that I wished there was a little more of Lina and Ione, as much as I liked River and Kai, it felt like they overshadowed the other two, which was a little sad given that Lina and Ione are the selling point in the blurb. I still really liked River and Kai and getting their PoVs though! I just wish there was more Ione and Lina (especially Ione!).
Once the plot started moving, I was incredibly invested. I didn't really expect any of what happened towards the end, which made it all the better to me. This is a spoiler-free review, so I won't say more, but I do think what happened was pretty well done!
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book and I'm grateful to have received an ARC of it from the author!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
3.5⭐️
This was a really well thought-out and well-written fantasy, especially for a debut.
The worldbuilding, the magic system, the characters, everything came together beautifully. You can tell a lot of care went into crafting this story. I also really enjoyed the relationships and the found family vibes (always a win), and there were some genuinely funny moments sprinkled throughout.
But… and I hate saying this… it just didn’t fully grip me.
No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t completely immerse myself in the story, and I’m not entirely sure why. Because objectively? It has all the elements I usually love.
So yes… this is my official “it’s not you, it’s me” moment. 🤣😭
Overall, I can absolutely see why others would love this and it’s a strong debut. It just didn’t fully click for me personally.
3.5⭐️
This was a really well thought-out and well-written fantasy, especially for a debut.
The worldbuilding, the magic system, the characters, everything came together beautifully. You can tell a lot of care went into crafting this story. I also really enjoyed the relationships and the found family vibes (always a win), and there were some genuinely funny moments sprinkled throughout.
But… and I hate saying this… it just didn’t fully grip me.
No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t completely immerse myself in the story, and I’m not entirely sure why. Because objectively? It has all the elements I usually love.
So yes… this is my official “it’s not you, it’s me” moment. 🤣😭
Overall, I can absolutely see why others would love this and it’s a strong debut. It just didn’t fully click for me personally.
November 28, 2025
First off, while I know this is Kats debut piece she absolutely writes like a seasoned author. I have read so many books and have gotten arc copies of quite a few but the diligence and completeness of this manuscript even in an non-final form was better than many published works I've read over the years so I just wanted to give extra credit for that. I expect great things from this author going forward.
Now into the nitty gritty of this story. If you are into fantasy books at all you will enjoy this. It has a complex and well written battle system, the action scenes jump off the page and paint cinema behind your eyes and the characters are nuanced and keep you wanting more.
The cast consists of 4 main characters with extremely memorable supporting cast (the volume of fan art I want to do for this book is literally unsustainable for me) so there may not be a stand out favorite for you, which I consider a good thing. I think its the mark of a book when everyone can have different favorites because all the characters are so strong and have distinctive personalities and this book delivers on that.
The main cast consists of Ione, a rebellious Princess Type (one of my fave tropes if I'm being honest, yes god let the pretty girl drink and curse), Kai, the charismatic asshole type (another favorite because of REASONS) as if they weren't already perfect they are both disaster bisexuals which I cannot emphasize enough is the absolute best. Then there are their respective foils Lina, the sensetive and strong girl holding a dark secret and River the bodyguard with a low annoyance threshold. They all work perfectly together, the dynamics and the banter are top tier.
Now plot, this starts as a basic "Oh no this one group is going to destroy us so we need to destroy them" type of trope but takes SEVERAL hard lefts throughout the series leaving you to wonder what the original plot even was by the end. And I say that in the most positive way possible. I read so much and watch so many stories that it is legitimately hard to surprise me while reading. I will read the same story time repeatedly and just look at the storytelling and character quality. So when I tell you that my jaw DROPPED not once but twice during this whole mess, I mean the twists are completely unexpected. Until you look back like "OMG did that mean THAT? Oh nooooooo" so yeah the story is fantastic.
In conclusion I highly recommend this book, I will definitely be buying a copy when it debuts to read it again with whatever fantastic illustration Kat does for the cover to treasure on my shelf.
Now into the nitty gritty of this story. If you are into fantasy books at all you will enjoy this. It has a complex and well written battle system, the action scenes jump off the page and paint cinema behind your eyes and the characters are nuanced and keep you wanting more.
The cast consists of 4 main characters with extremely memorable supporting cast (the volume of fan art I want to do for this book is literally unsustainable for me) so there may not be a stand out favorite for you, which I consider a good thing. I think its the mark of a book when everyone can have different favorites because all the characters are so strong and have distinctive personalities and this book delivers on that.
The main cast consists of Ione, a rebellious Princess Type (one of my fave tropes if I'm being honest, yes god let the pretty girl drink and curse), Kai, the charismatic asshole type (another favorite because of REASONS) as if they weren't already perfect they are both disaster bisexuals which I cannot emphasize enough is the absolute best. Then there are their respective foils Lina, the sensetive and strong girl holding a dark secret and River the bodyguard with a low annoyance threshold. They all work perfectly together, the dynamics and the banter are top tier.
Now plot, this starts as a basic "Oh no this one group is going to destroy us so we need to destroy them" type of trope but takes SEVERAL hard lefts throughout the series leaving you to wonder what the original plot even was by the end. And I say that in the most positive way possible. I read so much and watch so many stories that it is legitimately hard to surprise me while reading. I will read the same story time repeatedly and just look at the storytelling and character quality. So when I tell you that my jaw DROPPED not once but twice during this whole mess, I mean the twists are completely unexpected. Until you look back like "OMG did that mean THAT? Oh nooooooo" so yeah the story is fantastic.
In conclusion I highly recommend this book, I will definitely be buying a copy when it debuts to read it again with whatever fantastic illustration Kat does for the cover to treasure on my shelf.
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