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Wraithkeeper
The Isle of Vallend crawls with the dead.
100 years ago, the doors to purgatory were thrown open, releasing countless wraiths onto Vallend’s shores. To protect the world, the island was sealed off, leaving its citizens one last line of defense: wraithkeepers, individuals who can capture wraiths rather than become possessed.
Samuel is an established wraithkeeper with over a hundred wraiths resting inside his own soul. The call to Hector Claymore’s home feels like any other. That is, until Claymore’s possessed wife dies in Samuel’s arms. With her last breath, he realizes the awful truth. This is not just any woman, but Allison, the sister he left behind twenty years ago.
To ensure the wraiths are contained, he must return to his childhood home and the family Samuel thought he’d never see again. Will Samuel continue his quest to keep Vallend safe from the dead, or will the truth that has burdened his soul for twenty years come back to haunt him?
Large houses hide the deepest secrets.
100 years ago, the doors to purgatory were thrown open, releasing countless wraiths onto Vallend’s shores. To protect the world, the island was sealed off, leaving its citizens one last line of defense: wraithkeepers, individuals who can capture wraiths rather than become possessed.
Samuel is an established wraithkeeper with over a hundred wraiths resting inside his own soul. The call to Hector Claymore’s home feels like any other. That is, until Claymore’s possessed wife dies in Samuel’s arms. With her last breath, he realizes the awful truth. This is not just any woman, but Allison, the sister he left behind twenty years ago.
To ensure the wraiths are contained, he must return to his childhood home and the family Samuel thought he’d never see again. Will Samuel continue his quest to keep Vallend safe from the dead, or will the truth that has burdened his soul for twenty years come back to haunt him?
Large houses hide the deepest secrets.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2026
About the author
Nancy O'Toole
21 books64 followersNancy O’Toole is an author of superhero fiction and fairy tale retellings. Her body of work includes The Red and Black Series, and The Twin Kingdoms series. She is the co-host of One for All: A My Hero Academia Podcast. When not writing, or working as a librarian in Central Maine, she spends her time reading, playing video games, watching kdramas, and taking far too many pictures of her cat, Coraline.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 1, 2026
In Wraithkeeper we follow a man who has just witnessed his sister’s possession by a wraith as he travels back home for the first time in decades to figure out how exactly his sister got possessed. I enjoyed the world the author created here with the wraiths being souls that have escaped from purgatory who have the potential to possess living people. The involvement of the church and their teachings which centre around living a good life now to limit the number of acts you have to atone for, thus limiting your time in purgatory and the potential to become a wraith are reminiscent of early church teachings. I liked the nod to a corrupt church with the pub patron speculating that the church furthers the idea of atonement so they can profit, mirroring the selling of indulgences by the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. It’s a minor detail but one that makes me think the framework for this fantasy world is rooted in western Church practices which enabled me to understand the world faster through comparison.
There’s an interesting mechanic here where the wraiths can afford wraith keepers and channellers a power. I would have liked to see more examples of this because it has a lot of potential, but I unfortunately felt it was underdeveloped.
I found some of the wraith gate lore confusing, but a glossary is provided at the end which helped massively in my understanding. Another point, towards the end, is that I found that the action wrapped up very quickly.
I enjoyed the character development of the main character and seeing him learn to forgive himself and move on from an early tragedy in his life. Overall I think Wraithkeeper presents an interesting world but has some underdeveloped concepts. I could easily see this being a series where some of these concepts can be showcased more.
I received an eARC from BookSirens and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
There’s an interesting mechanic here where the wraiths can afford wraith keepers and channellers a power. I would have liked to see more examples of this because it has a lot of potential, but I unfortunately felt it was underdeveloped.
I found some of the wraith gate lore confusing, but a glossary is provided at the end which helped massively in my understanding. Another point, towards the end, is that I found that the action wrapped up very quickly.
I enjoyed the character development of the main character and seeing him learn to forgive himself and move on from an early tragedy in his life. Overall I think Wraithkeeper presents an interesting world but has some underdeveloped concepts. I could easily see this being a series where some of these concepts can be showcased more.
I received an eARC from BookSirens and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
August 27, 2026
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
There is so much lore in this book and I love all of it. The best part is that you don't have to remember it all but you _want_ to. I would gladly read a history book set in this world!
I would classify this book as NA. It can certain teeter on YA feels at times but it feels too adult and dark to really fit there. The author isn't afraid to leave you feeling lost and it works so well for the atmosphere.
The details in the malevolent spirit scenes is so good! It isn't overwhelming but it just yanks you in. The fact you feel for the MC has a lot to do with it.
Only downside is there are a few times the dual narration left me confused. It doesn't happen a lot but it does throw me off when it happens.
A great frightening and dark story, well worth your time.
There is so much lore in this book and I love all of it. The best part is that you don't have to remember it all but you _want_ to. I would gladly read a history book set in this world!
I would classify this book as NA. It can certain teeter on YA feels at times but it feels too adult and dark to really fit there. The author isn't afraid to leave you feeling lost and it works so well for the atmosphere.
The details in the malevolent spirit scenes is so good! It isn't overwhelming but it just yanks you in. The fact you feel for the MC has a lot to do with it.
Only downside is there are a few times the dual narration left me confused. It doesn't happen a lot but it does throw me off when it happens.
A great frightening and dark story, well worth your time.
Review of advance copy
This one reads as a quick, dark fantasy with mild horror elements. It reminded me of Sabriel at times, only following the older characters instead of the younger. If you like stories that deal with emotional fallout as much as they do plot, then this one's for you.
We're introduced to the immersive world of wraiths and those who must master them via the isolated island nation of Vallend. Cut off from the rest of the world after The Great Summoning flooded the land with malevolent souls, only those known as wraithkeepers can capture and contain them, preventing them from possessing ordinary mortals. Samuel is a powerful wraithkeeper, but he is not prepared to thrown back into his complex family history when he discovers his latest wraith victim is the sister he hasn't seen for 20 years. He has to return to his former home and confront the darkness haunting his past in order to protect the ones he cares for.
I loved the lore in this one. It's complex enough to need a glossary, but not so complex that you'll have to memorize every word of it. It dishes out information about the world's past as we need it, perhaps a little heavily sometimes but that's forgivable considering the weight that knowledge lends to the plot. Maybe I could have wished for it to go a little deeper with description at times, as I didn't always get a clear picture of people and places. It's got this fascinating mix of historical elements and attitudes; wooden ships and crinolines, old money and propriety butting up against changing attitudes. It just further enforces that idea of a land that might want to move forwards but is held back by its isolation.
While at times I felt this book had a dark YA vibe due to that straight to the point narration style, our main character Samuel is a 39 year old with a lot of regrets in his past. He's a character that's easy to empathize with, and you want him to come to terms with his past so that, maybe, he can move on. There are a variety of side characters too, from his wise old mentor to a younger teenage half sibling who is in need of guidance. We don't look too deep into them, but their relationship are interesting in how they play out.
My one quibble is with the structure of the plot. As it uses a dual timeline early on, I'd assumed we'd be teased by the details of Sam's dark past until both past and present plots intersected. I was a little confused by the big reveal about the events of years past being made in a conversation before we'd "witnessed" it happen. Some events are only mentioned in passing reminiscences. I wished we could have gone a little deeper into some of these events to bring them to life. It's easy enough to put together the general idea of what happened by the time the reveal conversation occurs, but learning the details that way took away some of the tension for me.
That said, this world has a lot of potential going forward. We've barely scratched the surface of what it means to be a wraithkeeper, or what the wider ramifications are considering the heavy handed ruling of the church of Vallend who control them. While this story wraps up its own plot neatly, there is so much more that could be explored as the series progresses.
This author never disappoints with inventive ideas and the ability to write characters who aren't your usual hormone-driven teen protagonist (or 20-30-somethings who act like one). I'd be keeping an eye out for the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
We're introduced to the immersive world of wraiths and those who must master them via the isolated island nation of Vallend. Cut off from the rest of the world after The Great Summoning flooded the land with malevolent souls, only those known as wraithkeepers can capture and contain them, preventing them from possessing ordinary mortals. Samuel is a powerful wraithkeeper, but he is not prepared to thrown back into his complex family history when he discovers his latest wraith victim is the sister he hasn't seen for 20 years. He has to return to his former home and confront the darkness haunting his past in order to protect the ones he cares for.
I loved the lore in this one. It's complex enough to need a glossary, but not so complex that you'll have to memorize every word of it. It dishes out information about the world's past as we need it, perhaps a little heavily sometimes but that's forgivable considering the weight that knowledge lends to the plot. Maybe I could have wished for it to go a little deeper with description at times, as I didn't always get a clear picture of people and places. It's got this fascinating mix of historical elements and attitudes; wooden ships and crinolines, old money and propriety butting up against changing attitudes. It just further enforces that idea of a land that might want to move forwards but is held back by its isolation.
While at times I felt this book had a dark YA vibe due to that straight to the point narration style, our main character Samuel is a 39 year old with a lot of regrets in his past. He's a character that's easy to empathize with, and you want him to come to terms with his past so that, maybe, he can move on. There are a variety of side characters too, from his wise old mentor to a younger teenage half sibling who is in need of guidance. We don't look too deep into them, but their relationship are interesting in how they play out.
My one quibble is with the structure of the plot. As it uses a dual timeline early on, I'd assumed we'd be teased by the details of Sam's dark past until both past and present plots intersected. I was a little confused by the big reveal about the events of years past being made in a conversation before we'd "witnessed" it happen. Some events are only mentioned in passing reminiscences. I wished we could have gone a little deeper into some of these events to bring them to life. It's easy enough to put together the general idea of what happened by the time the reveal conversation occurs, but learning the details that way took away some of the tension for me.
That said, this world has a lot of potential going forward. We've barely scratched the surface of what it means to be a wraithkeeper, or what the wider ramifications are considering the heavy handed ruling of the church of Vallend who control them. While this story wraps up its own plot neatly, there is so much more that could be explored as the series progresses.
This author never disappoints with inventive ideas and the ability to write characters who aren't your usual hormone-driven teen protagonist (or 20-30-somethings who act like one). I'd be keeping an eye out for the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Review of Wraithkeeper by Nancy O'Toole
Thank you to BookSirens and Midnight Tide Publishing for the eARC of this book!
Ratings out of 5 stars.
- Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
- Interest Rating: 📖📖📖
- Scare Rating: 👻👻
- Tension Rating: 🪢🪢🪢🪢
- Predictability Rating: 💭
- Writing Style Rating: 🖋🖋🖋🖋
Favorite character?
Most memorable scene/moment?
Did the ending satisfy you?
I feel like it left some loose ends, but I think overall it wrapped up well. The ending felt a little rushed to me, like there could have been more to it.
Would you read this book again?
No, probably not. Though... I might be willing to read a sequel if one were to come out.
Additional Notes:
- I, unfortunately, feel as though the book was more gripping in the last 25% than throughout the rest of the book. I do feel like there were some scenes at the beginning of the book that were thrilling and tense , but I think those came and went too quickly for it to really keep my interest.
- There are some things as far as format that I think need changing. There are moments where the main character is having flashbacks and I don't think the divide to signal that we are moving from present day into a flashback is clear enough because I found myself, especially at the beginning of the book before I got used to the subtle warning, being confused as to what was going on before realizing that the main character was having a flashback.
- I didn't find the family dynamics of the main character to be really all that intriguing most of the time, though there were things about the dynamics that I really liked. I think that's what made this book a bit hard for me and why I found myself procrastinating picking it up again (I did put it on pause for a bit). I almost feel like this may have been better if it was more well balanced because I felt like the family stuff kinda dragged on, but the scenes that were enthralling were too short. I think that if this was a bit longer to be better balanced this would have been better.
- I really actually rather enjoyed the direction that the story went, esepcially at the end of the book (~75% in and onward). I wasn't really expecting any of what happened in the story and the final twist I think was done really well.
- Really enjoyed the inclusion of a glossary for the terms directly relating to the world that was built at the end of the book. Made the worldbuilding feel easier to understand and more real.
- Overall, I think it's still worth a read even though it wasn't exactly the book for me. I actually think that this book is extremely unique in its premise and ideas and I am so happy that I got to experience the world that the author has created. I actually could even see this book having a sequel!
Thank you to BookSirens and Midnight Tide Publishing for the eARC of this book!
Ratings out of 5 stars.
- Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
- Interest Rating: 📖📖📖
- Scare Rating: 👻👻
- Tension Rating: 🪢🪢🪢🪢
- Predictability Rating: 💭
- Writing Style Rating: 🖋🖋🖋🖋
Favorite character?
Most memorable scene/moment?
Did the ending satisfy you?
I feel like it left some loose ends, but I think overall it wrapped up well. The ending felt a little rushed to me, like there could have been more to it.
Would you read this book again?
No, probably not. Though... I might be willing to read a sequel if one were to come out.
Additional Notes:
- I, unfortunately, feel as though the book was more gripping in the last 25% than throughout the rest of the book. I do feel like there were some scenes at the beginning of the book that were thrilling and tense , but I think those came and went too quickly for it to really keep my interest.
- There are some things as far as format that I think need changing. There are moments where the main character is having flashbacks and I don't think the divide to signal that we are moving from present day into a flashback is clear enough because I found myself, especially at the beginning of the book before I got used to the subtle warning, being confused as to what was going on before realizing that the main character was having a flashback.
- I didn't find the family dynamics of the main character to be really all that intriguing most of the time, though there were things about the dynamics that I really liked. I think that's what made this book a bit hard for me and why I found myself procrastinating picking it up again (I did put it on pause for a bit). I almost feel like this may have been better if it was more well balanced because I felt like the family stuff kinda dragged on, but the scenes that were enthralling were too short. I think that if this was a bit longer to be better balanced this would have been better.
- I really actually rather enjoyed the direction that the story went, esepcially at the end of the book (~75% in and onward). I wasn't really expecting any of what happened in the story and the final twist I think was done really well.
- Really enjoyed the inclusion of a glossary for the terms directly relating to the world that was built at the end of the book. Made the worldbuilding feel easier to understand and more real.
- Overall, I think it's still worth a read even though it wasn't exactly the book for me. I actually think that this book is extremely unique in its premise and ideas and I am so happy that I got to experience the world that the author has created. I actually could even see this book having a sequel!
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Nancy O'Toole for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
If you love fantasy that blurs the line between life and death, Wraithkeeper is a journey well worth taking. Atmospheric, mysterious, and packed with emotional depth, this story captivated me from the very first page and kept me completely invested until the end.
Nancy O'Toole has created a world rich with haunting magic, ancient secrets, and lingering spirits. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the mystery, revealing just enough to keep me guessing while leaving me eager to uncover the next piece of the puzzle. The world-building is immersive without feeling overwhelming, making it easy to lose yourself in its shadows.
The characters are wonderfully layered and believable. Each of them carries their own fears, regrets, and hopes, and watching them confront both supernatural threats and their own inner demons made the story feel incredibly personal. Their growth throughout the novel is just as compelling as the fantasy elements themselves.
One of my favourite aspects of Wraithkeeper was its atmosphere. There is an almost gothic quality to the writing that perfectly complements the darker themes, balancing moments of danger with quieter scenes of reflection and hope. The pacing kept me hooked throughout, with plenty of twists that made it difficult to predict what would happen next.
By the time I reached the final chapter, I wasn't ready to leave this world. It's the kind of fantasy that lingers long after you've turned the last page, leaving you eager for more.
"Not every ghost is meant to be feared. Some are waiting for someone brave enough to hear their story."
If you're searching for a fantasy filled with haunting magic, emotional character arcs, supernatural mystery, and a richly imagined world, Wraithkeeper is one you'll definitely want to add to your TBR.
✨ Tropes & Themes
👻 Ghosts & Spirits
🖤 Dark Fantasy
✨ Ancient Magic
🔮 Supernatural Mystery
🏰 Gothic Atmosphere
⚔️ High-Stakes Adventure
💔 Emotional Character Growth
🗝️ Hidden Secrets
🌙 Haunted World-Building
📚 Character-Driven Fantasy
If you love fantasy that blurs the line between life and death, Wraithkeeper is a journey well worth taking. Atmospheric, mysterious, and packed with emotional depth, this story captivated me from the very first page and kept me completely invested until the end.
Nancy O'Toole has created a world rich with haunting magic, ancient secrets, and lingering spirits. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the mystery, revealing just enough to keep me guessing while leaving me eager to uncover the next piece of the puzzle. The world-building is immersive without feeling overwhelming, making it easy to lose yourself in its shadows.
The characters are wonderfully layered and believable. Each of them carries their own fears, regrets, and hopes, and watching them confront both supernatural threats and their own inner demons made the story feel incredibly personal. Their growth throughout the novel is just as compelling as the fantasy elements themselves.
One of my favourite aspects of Wraithkeeper was its atmosphere. There is an almost gothic quality to the writing that perfectly complements the darker themes, balancing moments of danger with quieter scenes of reflection and hope. The pacing kept me hooked throughout, with plenty of twists that made it difficult to predict what would happen next.
By the time I reached the final chapter, I wasn't ready to leave this world. It's the kind of fantasy that lingers long after you've turned the last page, leaving you eager for more.
"Not every ghost is meant to be feared. Some are waiting for someone brave enough to hear their story."
If you're searching for a fantasy filled with haunting magic, emotional character arcs, supernatural mystery, and a richly imagined world, Wraithkeeper is one you'll definitely want to add to your TBR.
✨ Tropes & Themes
👻 Ghosts & Spirits
🖤 Dark Fantasy
✨ Ancient Magic
🔮 Supernatural Mystery
🏰 Gothic Atmosphere
⚔️ High-Stakes Adventure
💔 Emotional Character Growth
🗝️ Hidden Secrets
🌙 Haunted World-Building
📚 Character-Driven Fantasy
August 27, 2026
Wraithkeeper is the story of a man coming home for the first time in two decades after his sister dies from a wraith possession – a possession he had the horror of witnessing. It seems that she visited his childhood home before the possession, so he spends his time hiding his identity and trying to find the source of all the wraiths at both his family home & in the nearby town Bellsport. As a wraithkeeper, he has the ability to use runes to capture wraiths within him for all of eternity. I found it super intriguing that wraithkeepers can also harness the powers of the wraiths that they hold; wraithcharmers can do similar things with the soul of a wraith, but only have space for one throughout their entire life. The fantasy elements felt unique & the wraithkeeper lore ran deep, although the book featured less horror than I would have liked personally. It is also a *tiny* bit confusing in layout since it starts with dual POV then swaps to just the one POV almost immediately. I LOVEEE a dual POV so I would have liked to see it woven throughout the entirety of the book (or at least for a bit longer)!
I’d love to read another book set in the world of Vallend, but with the other family members – maybe Olive as she comes into adulthood? I fell in love with the family by the end & loved how multidimensional they all felt as individuals. Considering O’Toole typically writes superhero fiction & fairy tale retellings, consider me impressed that this is her first horror! I will be certainly keeping my eyes peeled for more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I’d love to read another book set in the world of Vallend, but with the other family members – maybe Olive as she comes into adulthood? I fell in love with the family by the end & loved how multidimensional they all felt as individuals. Considering O’Toole typically writes superhero fiction & fairy tale retellings, consider me impressed that this is her first horror! I will be certainly keeping my eyes peeled for more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Wraithkeeper isn't the kind of book I'd normally reach for, but I'm glad I gave it a shot. The premise - an island quarantined for a century because of wraiths that escaped from purgatory, and the "wraithkeepers" who risk carrying pieces of the dead inside their own souls to keep everyone else safe - is a strong, atmospheric hook right from the start. O'Toole leans into that fantasy-horror mood effectively, giving the setting a real sense of dread and history without over-explaining it.
What worked best for me, though, was the personal story underneath the supernatural premise. The protagonist is forced to confront a family and a past he thought he'd left behind for good, and that emotional weight gives the book a lot more depth than a straightforward monster-hunting story. It kept me invested in the characters as much as the wraith-catching itself, and the mix of horror, mystery, and personal drama balances out nicely over a fairly quick page count.
Overall, this isn't a genre I usually gravitate toward, but I ended up enjoying it more than expected. If you like fantasy/horror with real emotional stakes and a slow-burn family mystery, it's worth picking up. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What worked best for me, though, was the personal story underneath the supernatural premise. The protagonist is forced to confront a family and a past he thought he'd left behind for good, and that emotional weight gives the book a lot more depth than a straightforward monster-hunting story. It kept me invested in the characters as much as the wraith-catching itself, and the mix of horror, mystery, and personal drama balances out nicely over a fairly quick page count.
Overall, this isn't a genre I usually gravitate toward, but I ended up enjoying it more than expected. If you like fantasy/horror with real emotional stakes and a slow-burn family mystery, it's worth picking up. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I enjoyed the world created for this story, especially the instances of the different kinds of wraiths that were encountered during it. Samuel is a fun protagonist being older and beginning to feel the effects of his profession, and then having to confront past choices as a result of his sister’s sudden death and his return to the family home.
It felt like there was a fair amount of information that was conveyed to the reader in a reasonable fashion, not too much at a time, which is always appreciated in a fantasy story. However, the overall flow was the main drawback for this story as information was primarily delivered in the form of flashbacks immediately before it became relevant. Details were not seeded throughout the story for the reader to pick up on prior to them having an impact, and this felt like reading in a lot of stops and starts.
Despite this, I’m intrigued enough by the world created and the dynamic between Samuel, his family, Aidan, and the wider power structure as a whole. I would pick up the next book in this series.
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC!
It felt like there was a fair amount of information that was conveyed to the reader in a reasonable fashion, not too much at a time, which is always appreciated in a fantasy story. However, the overall flow was the main drawback for this story as information was primarily delivered in the form of flashbacks immediately before it became relevant. Details were not seeded throughout the story for the reader to pick up on prior to them having an impact, and this felt like reading in a lot of stops and starts.
Despite this, I’m intrigued enough by the world created and the dynamic between Samuel, his family, Aidan, and the wider power structure as a whole. I would pick up the next book in this series.
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I will be thinking about Samuel and the lessons learned during this story for a long time to come. The characters are well written with real and complex backstories that intermingle in the best way possible. The world building is fantastic and immersive. This was an easy read and a nice change of pace for the genre in my opinion. I will definitely be reading Wraithkeeper again someday. I highly recommend this book to be added to you TBR.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Book Sirens for a digital ARC of this book.
I found the story to be pretty basic, though well-written. There wasn't a lot that was memorable or that stood out, and I wish the world was built up and explained a little more.
I know we aren't supposed to judge books by their covers. But I wish the story and the cover matched a bit more. I loved the art on the top, and was pretty disappointed that it had very little to do with the story.
I found the story to be pretty basic, though well-written. There wasn't a lot that was memorable or that stood out, and I wish the world was built up and explained a little more.
I know we aren't supposed to judge books by their covers. But I wish the story and the cover matched a bit more. I loved the art on the top, and was pretty disappointed that it had very little to do with the story.
Review of advance copy
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was a fantastic read and a refreshing voice in the fantasy genre. The world created in this book contains plenty of detail and lore, so it was very helpful of the author to include a glossary of terms used. I was well into the book by the time I discovered the glossary, but I had no issue understanding anything without it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Samuel being in his late 30s was an excellent choice because it allowed for him to have more life experience and regret, making him a complex character.
I liked the friendship between Samuel and Connie, and wished to see more of it. The few moments we saw between them was heartwarming enough. Additionally, the relationships you see between him and the other members of his church really emphasize the importance of found family.
My only criticism (and it's a small one because I loved the book), was that some of the dialogue sounded a bit unnatural at times. Specifically when characters were talking about events that had happened prior to the events of the story. It makes sense to include it, so the reader would have the context, but the execution was a bit awkward at times. However, it did not detract from the quality of the story overall. I would love to delve deeper into this world and hope that the author has future plans for these characters. I highly recommend!
This book was a fantastic read and a refreshing voice in the fantasy genre. The world created in this book contains plenty of detail and lore, so it was very helpful of the author to include a glossary of terms used. I was well into the book by the time I discovered the glossary, but I had no issue understanding anything without it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Samuel being in his late 30s was an excellent choice because it allowed for him to have more life experience and regret, making him a complex character.
I liked the friendship between Samuel and Connie, and wished to see more of it. The few moments we saw between them was heartwarming enough. Additionally, the relationships you see between him and the other members of his church really emphasize the importance of found family.
My only criticism (and it's a small one because I loved the book), was that some of the dialogue sounded a bit unnatural at times. Specifically when characters were talking about events that had happened prior to the events of the story. It makes sense to include it, so the reader would have the context, but the execution was a bit awkward at times. However, it did not detract from the quality of the story overall. I would love to delve deeper into this world and hope that the author has future plans for these characters. I highly recommend!
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