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The Tome of Talula: A Tome of Amblem Novel
Talula can't remember her life before the cult.
One moment, she's being dragged across Amblem to meet a mysterious figure known only as The Hand. The next, she's been swept into an unlikely family consisting of a cursed dire wolf, a glutton demon, and a fallen angel who seems just as lost as she is.
Determined to uncover the truth, Talula convinces her new companions to join her on a treasure hunt for a legendary dagger said to have the power to kill a god.
But the deeper they venture into Amblem—a fractured world of fallen angels, cursed relics, monsters, and ancient conspiracies—the more Talula realizes her forgotten past may be tied to the answers they're seeking.
When the trail leads her face-to-face with the man responsible for countless deaths and half the world's suffering, Talula must decide whether to believe the story he's telling.
Can someone who has done terrible things still be redeemed?
The Tome of Talula is a dark fantasy about found family, grief, faith, monsters, and the dangerous things we do for the people we love.
One moment, she's being dragged across Amblem to meet a mysterious figure known only as The Hand. The next, she's been swept into an unlikely family consisting of a cursed dire wolf, a glutton demon, and a fallen angel who seems just as lost as she is.
Determined to uncover the truth, Talula convinces her new companions to join her on a treasure hunt for a legendary dagger said to have the power to kill a god.
But the deeper they venture into Amblem—a fractured world of fallen angels, cursed relics, monsters, and ancient conspiracies—the more Talula realizes her forgotten past may be tied to the answers they're seeking.
When the trail leads her face-to-face with the man responsible for countless deaths and half the world's suffering, Talula must decide whether to believe the story he's telling.
Can someone who has done terrible things still be redeemed?
The Tome of Talula is a dark fantasy about found family, grief, faith, monsters, and the dangerous things we do for the people we love.
534 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 31, 2026
ARC read, release date October 6th, 2026!
4.5 stars rounded up! :)
This book delivers an enchanting, highly imaginative experience that blends rich world-building with engaging storytelling. It is clean fantasy and an overall fun read!
4.5 stars rounded up! :)
This book delivers an enchanting, highly imaginative experience that blends rich world-building with engaging storytelling. It is clean fantasy and an overall fun read!
September 2, 2026
Thank you so so much to the author for sharing an ARC of this book with me !!!
“In Amblem, if enough people believe in something long enough, it becomes real”
This book was wonderful. Imagine the Six of Crows / Realm Breaker crew trying to save the world but it’s made out of demons, vampires, fallen angels and half angles and some of them canMt remover even who they are. Imagine one incredibly intricate and complex world building, whose entire existence can be better understood if you know the scripture. Imagine a found family that couldn’t be more uncommonly sorted and yet … would stop at nothing to protect itself. This is one of those fantasy books that you need pen and paper to study and fully comprehend. It’s one of those stories you need to watch more frequently the map of, otherwise you’ll get lost. This is epic fantasy. This is exactly what a fantasy reader is always desperately craving but can never really find. It’s filled with a mystery so deep that only when you get at the second half of the book you’ll start breaking. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Malik, Seth, Fen, Rin, Raak, Talula … they have just imprinted themselves on my heart. They have taught me that whatever you do, whatever mistake you made, hope is never lost. Your family is there to pick up your pieces if only you’re willing to let them in and let them help you. And there always God. If only you let yourself believe ! I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this book … I will most definitely be raving about it with the author and hopelessly asking for the sequel !!!
“I will burn this world down for you”
“Quite the gathering, three vampyrs, a god’s spawn, a demon, and three angels - one who still can’t remember all he is”
“In Amblem, if enough people believe in something long enough, it becomes real”
This book was wonderful. Imagine the Six of Crows / Realm Breaker crew trying to save the world but it’s made out of demons, vampires, fallen angels and half angles and some of them canMt remover even who they are. Imagine one incredibly intricate and complex world building, whose entire existence can be better understood if you know the scripture. Imagine a found family that couldn’t be more uncommonly sorted and yet … would stop at nothing to protect itself. This is one of those fantasy books that you need pen and paper to study and fully comprehend. It’s one of those stories you need to watch more frequently the map of, otherwise you’ll get lost. This is epic fantasy. This is exactly what a fantasy reader is always desperately craving but can never really find. It’s filled with a mystery so deep that only when you get at the second half of the book you’ll start breaking. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Malik, Seth, Fen, Rin, Raak, Talula … they have just imprinted themselves on my heart. They have taught me that whatever you do, whatever mistake you made, hope is never lost. Your family is there to pick up your pieces if only you’re willing to let them in and let them help you. And there always God. If only you let yourself believe ! I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this book … I will most definitely be raving about it with the author and hopelessly asking for the sequel !!!
“I will burn this world down for you”
“Quite the gathering, three vampyrs, a god’s spawn, a demon, and three angels - one who still can’t remember all he is”
Review of advance copy
The Tome of Talula: A Tome of Amblem Novel
A Christian dark fantasy book about redemption and it’s a found family and it’s no spice and there’s demons and angels and vampyr and a tyrant.
October 6th can’t come fast enough for everyone to read it and see how great it is. Highly recommend
A Christian dark fantasy book about redemption and it’s a found family and it’s no spice and there’s demons and angels and vampyr and a tyrant.
October 6th can’t come fast enough for everyone to read it and see how great it is. Highly recommend
October 6, 2026
Tome of Talula was immense and immersive. Inside this fantasy novel by a Christian author, there is so much to unpack.
Not only did the author create their own solar and calendar system, along with the seasonal changes that come with it, but they created intricate relationship dynamics and friendships that run deep. Fallen Angels are being massacred, Demons are commonplace, there’s a Vampyr mafia, and there is political corruption beyond what you would expect when it’s Demons vs. Angels.
But this novel is so much more than that. Christian-based characters are given complicated histories, fictional characteristics, friendships, relationships, and challenges that add another layer to the story. And caught in the middle of all of it is Talula, one unsuspecting girl who finds herself tangled up in a world much larger and more complicated than she realizes.
One of the things that stood out to me most was the world building. The cleansed areas versus the underground, the moons, the weather and seasonal changes, and the differences between places made the world feel incredibly developed. There is a lot of lore here and a lot to take in.
The emotional depth of the relationships was also well written. From the beginning and the first loss, you understand the impact these relationships and friendships have throughout the book. The banter, sarcasm, twisted relationships, compassion, and the patience the characters do—or don’t—have for each other all have depth. Although many of their feelings about one another don’t change throughout the story, I appreciated that this wasn’t the case for all of them and that new perspectives were formed.
And then there were the twists. I’m the type of person who unconsciously seeks out the truth in a story, and this one felt like it was sitting right in front of me, shielded by a shimmering curtain that no one wanted to pull back. I could see what was behind it. The characters kept beating around the bush, no one would actually say it, and I was waiting for someone to finally confirm what I already suspected.
Then the curtain finally gets pulled back and—yes, I was right. But damn, it went so much deeper than I thought. The reveal wasn’t surprising because I had guessed wrong; it was surprising because I had only figured out one piece of something much bigger. And this wasn’t the only twist and turn the author took me on.
That being said, this book was very long. There is a ton of banter among the found family, histories to recount, relationships to peel back, and lore to take in. This is a beast of a book, and I did not account for how long it was when I started it.
The overall vibes are in-depth political world building, found family, clean fantasy, and Christian/religion-based plots—think Supernatural, The Good Place, and Underworld. There are Vampyrs, Fallen Angels, Demons, Lucifer, Loki, Fenrir, and one unsuspecting girl caught in the middle of it all.
If you’re looking for a clean fantasy with all of the feelings, found family, political intrigue, extensive world building, and relationships with depth, this may be right for you. The banter is excellent, and there is a lot here to dig into for readers who enjoy long, lore-heavy fantasy and stories that pull from Christian and other mythology.
For the reader who wants to settle into a massive world, untangle complicated relationships, and dig through layers of lore, politics, religion, and mythology, Tome of Talula has a lot waiting for you.
Not only did the author create their own solar and calendar system, along with the seasonal changes that come with it, but they created intricate relationship dynamics and friendships that run deep. Fallen Angels are being massacred, Demons are commonplace, there’s a Vampyr mafia, and there is political corruption beyond what you would expect when it’s Demons vs. Angels.
But this novel is so much more than that. Christian-based characters are given complicated histories, fictional characteristics, friendships, relationships, and challenges that add another layer to the story. And caught in the middle of all of it is Talula, one unsuspecting girl who finds herself tangled up in a world much larger and more complicated than she realizes.
One of the things that stood out to me most was the world building. The cleansed areas versus the underground, the moons, the weather and seasonal changes, and the differences between places made the world feel incredibly developed. There is a lot of lore here and a lot to take in.
The emotional depth of the relationships was also well written. From the beginning and the first loss, you understand the impact these relationships and friendships have throughout the book. The banter, sarcasm, twisted relationships, compassion, and the patience the characters do—or don’t—have for each other all have depth. Although many of their feelings about one another don’t change throughout the story, I appreciated that this wasn’t the case for all of them and that new perspectives were formed.
And then there were the twists. I’m the type of person who unconsciously seeks out the truth in a story, and this one felt like it was sitting right in front of me, shielded by a shimmering curtain that no one wanted to pull back. I could see what was behind it. The characters kept beating around the bush, no one would actually say it, and I was waiting for someone to finally confirm what I already suspected.
Then the curtain finally gets pulled back and—yes, I was right. But damn, it went so much deeper than I thought. The reveal wasn’t surprising because I had guessed wrong; it was surprising because I had only figured out one piece of something much bigger. And this wasn’t the only twist and turn the author took me on.
That being said, this book was very long. There is a ton of banter among the found family, histories to recount, relationships to peel back, and lore to take in. This is a beast of a book, and I did not account for how long it was when I started it.
The overall vibes are in-depth political world building, found family, clean fantasy, and Christian/religion-based plots—think Supernatural, The Good Place, and Underworld. There are Vampyrs, Fallen Angels, Demons, Lucifer, Loki, Fenrir, and one unsuspecting girl caught in the middle of it all.
If you’re looking for a clean fantasy with all of the feelings, found family, political intrigue, extensive world building, and relationships with depth, this may be right for you. The banter is excellent, and there is a lot here to dig into for readers who enjoy long, lore-heavy fantasy and stories that pull from Christian and other mythology.
For the reader who wants to settle into a massive world, untangle complicated relationships, and dig through layers of lore, politics, religion, and mythology, Tome of Talula has a lot waiting for you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to give a HUGE shoutout to Lux M. Vale, because this review is genuinely difficult for me to write. Lux was incredibly sweet and gracious for reaching out when I had a bad experience with another arc author. Then, when I mentioned that I needed a Kindle copy in a different format, they immediately jumped into action and made sure I had one. I truly appreciate that kindness and the effort they put into making the book accessible to me. ❤️ They were wonderful to interact with, and I’m genuinely grateful.
However, Lux made it very clear in the email: “This complimentary copy is being provided for review purposes, but there is absolutely no expectation of a positive review. I want your honest response.”
Unfortunately, the book itself did not work for me.
There were so many errors throughout the book that they became incredibly distracting, and I also struggled a lot with the writing style. I understand it’s an arc and there are going to be errors, but there was more red ink than black by the end. It also felt very young-adult in tone to me. I don’t know the author’s age, and I honestly don’t know whether this was intended to be a YA book, but I don’t see it listed as one. Personally, the writing style just wasn’t a good fit for me.
And the characters… 😬
I could not connect with any of them. I tried. I really, really tried. But I found myself frustrated with most… no, ALL of the characters rather than invested in them. Seth, in particular, was probably the most annoying character I’ve encountered in a book ever. I just could not get behind him. Like I get it, you smoke and you have anger issues. The only good thing he had was his girl. Their relationship was cute. But otherwise, couldn’t stand him.
The biggest issue for me, though, was that I was so bored. I had originally planned to read this in two weeks. It took me a month to finish. And for me, that says a lot because I don’t DNF. But if I did, this absolutely would have been one.
I really wanted to love this one, especially because the author was so incredibly kind to me, and I genuinely was intrigued by the description. I feel bad that my reading experience ended up being so negative. But I also don’t want kindness from an author to influence my review of the actual book.
However, Lux made it very clear in the email: “This complimentary copy is being provided for review purposes, but there is absolutely no expectation of a positive review. I want your honest response.”
Unfortunately, the book itself did not work for me.
There were so many errors throughout the book that they became incredibly distracting, and I also struggled a lot with the writing style. I understand it’s an arc and there are going to be errors, but there was more red ink than black by the end. It also felt very young-adult in tone to me. I don’t know the author’s age, and I honestly don’t know whether this was intended to be a YA book, but I don’t see it listed as one. Personally, the writing style just wasn’t a good fit for me.
And the characters… 😬
I could not connect with any of them. I tried. I really, really tried. But I found myself frustrated with most… no, ALL of the characters rather than invested in them. Seth, in particular, was probably the most annoying character I’ve encountered in a book ever. I just could not get behind him. Like I get it, you smoke and you have anger issues. The only good thing he had was his girl. Their relationship was cute. But otherwise, couldn’t stand him.
The biggest issue for me, though, was that I was so bored. I had originally planned to read this in two weeks. It took me a month to finish. And for me, that says a lot because I don’t DNF. But if I did, this absolutely would have been one.
I really wanted to love this one, especially because the author was so incredibly kind to me, and I genuinely was intrigued by the description. I feel bad that my reading experience ended up being so negative. But I also don’t want kindness from an author to influence my review of the actual book.
August 20, 2026
I was so excited to read a fantasy that wasn’t filled with spice and The Tome of Talula did not disappoint! The world is fascinating, the characters are amazing, and this is such a fun read!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews