The Amber Sunburst

by Alizeh Abulail

An exiled prince, a dying star, a wasted priestess, a silent musician, a defiant sister, and a plummeting Icarus find each other through the cracks of a 'perfect' society.

Kallipolis is a utopia built on a lie. Hidden from the post-apocalyptic world outside its walls, the Republic has spent five hundred years perfecting itself according to the teachings of Plato - or so its people believe. Alexander knows better. He doesn't belong in the Republic, and he needs to get out - before the Trials, before the Educator discovers who he really is, and before he falls completely in love with a boy who was never meant to leave. This is a story about the people who see through the illusion of a utopia - and the ones who burn it down.

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic

420 pages, Paperback

Published August 31, 2026

Reviews

[Gaby (catching up) | read.onrepeat]

Three different books fighting each other. Guess who won...

1. The book I thought I was getting

Plato's Republic as the foundation for a dystopian society, a post-nuclear world, political control. And then I see The Hunger Games and Six of Crows listed as comps?

YES. GIMME 🫴

I have a background in philosophy, so this premise was basically designed in a lab to get me excited. I wanted the moral and political implications of Kallipolis. I wanted to understand why this society works, why people accept it, and what happens when people start questioning the roles they've been assigned.

And there are moments where the book gives you a glimpse of that. The trials were one of my favorite parts because finally, I felt like the premise was doing something. There was so much potential here.

"Morality isn't Justice."

2. The book I actually got

These characters are in their twenties, but the writing and their interactions felt like reading about 16yo. Crushes and pining, parties, drinking, sneaking around.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a book being more romance-focused. It just wasn't what I was expecting. The writing style felt more appropriate for a younger audience, maybe even middle grade, but some of the content definitely wasn't for that audience, which makes it difficult to recommend.

There was also the complete lack of urgency I felt about almost anything.

Alexander's introduction is a perfect example. He's a prince from a country formed after nuclear devastation. His brother tries to have him killed so he can take the throne. Alexander washes up on a shore, walks a few steps, and suddenly he's inside the previously invisible city.

Then they take him in, and he just goes with the flow (?)
So I'm supposed to follow this wildly unreal situation while everyone and their mamas know he's being played.

🙄

Everyone is so naive and oblivious. There's even a moment where a previously unknown and heretofore never mentioned again character basically tells them how stupid they are.
Which was hilarious because the book itself eventually recognized the exact problem I'd been seeing for hundreds of pages.

The politics were used as plot vehicles. Never explained or much questioned. These characters wanted to escape just to be contrary. There wasn't an ounce of rebellion between the six of them.

3. The book I wish I'd gotten

Crying sad tears because there was a book in here that I really wanted to read.

Lazarus is probably the best example.

Every time we got his POV, I wanted more. He was struggling, clearly carrying something heavy, and I loved the moments where you finally get a glimpse of him underneath all that.

"He's never been okay. Not since he can remember, at least."

When he realizes that if he'd sunk to the bottom, someone would have pulled him out. It was such a small moment, but I loved it. I wish we'd gotten more of that Lazarus.

I liked the sweet moments between Alexander and Kallias. I appreciated that Kallipolis is queernormative. I liked Ophelia's observations about the system.

And that is why writing this review was so hard. There were all these little pieces that made me think oh, I could really love this character. I could really love this idea. I could really love this book.

But then it would move on to something else.

That's what made this so disappointing for me. I just wish the story had gone as deep as the idea did.

**Thank you Alizeh Abulail for trusting me with an early copy. All opinions are my own.



﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

₊✩‧₊ Pre-read
Super excited to be part of the ARC team 💛
• Plato’s republic
• Queer main couple
• Six narrators

I can’t wait!

[The Reading Frog (trying to catch up!)]

Thank you to Alizeh Abulail for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 2.5/5 ⭐
CW: Explicit | Death
Moderate | Anxiety/panic attack(s), dissociation/fawning, drowning, grief, gun violence, morbid/suicidal ideation, (past) suicide, predatory men, slut shaming
Mild | Blood, implied continuous sexual/physical abuse (off-page), institutional sexism, mention of the criminalisation of homosexuality, (past) parental death, (past) physical abuse, sexual harassment
My chosen soundtrack(s): Notre Dame - Paris Paloma | Guitar Meditations (I) - Vraell

“Let’s just float a while,” Ophelia sighs contentedly. Quiet settles over them, as calming as the moonlight.
“I like it,” Lazarus says softly to her, barely audible over the lapping of waves, “the floating.”
“Me too,” she responds. “It’s nice to know that the only options aren’t to sink or swim.”
Silence follows before Lazarus whispers, “Yes. It is.”

Representation
╰┈➤ Unspecified BIPOC MCs
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Zeno, "brown skin"
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Ophelia, "cacao skin and golden eyes"
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Eudoxia, I don't have a quote on hand, but the art implies as such.
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Some side and background characters are implied to be BIPOC as well.
╰┈➤ Latinx MC, Alexander, "bronze skin", "his mother raised them on Brazilian food from her home state"
╰┈➤ Implied AAPI MC, Lazarus, "almond eyes" and the art implies as such.
╰┈➤ Queer characters and dynamics
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Kallipolis is queernormative
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Almost every character, if not all of them, are implied Bi/Pan
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ This includes side and background characters
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ MLM dynamic
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Bi4Bi dyamic
╰┈➤ Mental health
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Anxiety/panic attack(s) and dissociation through mutliple MCs


Themes
Academia, breaking free, bureaucracy, classism/class separation, familial bonds, friendship, parentification, patriarchy, Plato's Republic.


Tropes/What to expect
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Post-cataclysmic world-ending event
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Survival games
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Multi-POV
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Found family
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Friends to lovers
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Reluctant allies to lovers

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

What I liked/loved
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The premise and concept initially pulled me in. A dystopian, class-separated society based on Plato's Republic is intriguing.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The trials immediately sparked interest, and the dismissal of familial bonds fascinated me. I was curious about the concept of children from a very young age being groomed to fulfil certain roles, which is framed as something honest and just. But it becomes clear immediately that this game is very much rigged.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Through both Ophelia and Eudoxia, we explore how deeply rooted institutional sexism is in this highly organised, categorised, and separated society.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Making this corrupt, classist system tangible through the stairs snaking through the different class divisions, which are hard to climb yet easy to fall from, sketches strong imagery.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I love crazy opening lines, and "Alexander jolts awake to the unfamiliar feeling of being waterboarded." is definitely just that.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Queer normativity will always be appreciated. Just FYI, homophobia is mentioned and linked to a certain location, but it doesn't have a place in the primary setting of this book.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I highlighted it in my first point, but I appreciated having two strong female main characters who fight within a system that disadvantages them and are rightfully so, pissed off about it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I liked the implementation of tarot cards. How certain Major Arcana cards represent the main characters and how they were used as headers.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The first 10% and the third trial (or the last 15%) were my favourite parts. They were more tense and immersive. I liked the mystery and the what-the-fuckery of the first part and enjoyed the higher stakes of the last part. Though it was a bit jarring at times due to mood shifts, which I will expand on in the next segment.



What I didn't like/felt lacklustre about
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I want to start this segment by noting that even though this book was not a hit for me, it doesn't mean there aren't readers out there who would enjoy this read.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ My biggest irk with this read is how juvenile the writing style felt. Now, YA as a genre on its own is not a death sentence for a rating. I've read and enjoyed many YA books, and when reading the premise for this one, I expected a similar approach to it as, for example, The Hunger Games (which is also officially a YA book and mentioned as a comp). The comps and marketing made me expect something upper YA, which means I expected it to be heavier, more tense, with some social/political commentary and maybe some personal conflict. There was some of that! Don't get me wrong. It just wasn't in the way I'd expected it to.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎In this case, a lot of the writing felt middle grade, yet it would be hard to fully categorise it as such because of some of the more explicit content: lots of sexual innuendos, off-page physical and sexual abuse, on-page death and an on-page violent arm amputation. And though I myself tend to be more interested in books that go dark, deep or heavy, in this case it felt quite jarring due to the mood that 90% of the book sets. Which is more of a high school drama vibe: parties, secretly drinking alcohol, coming-of-age, friendship-focused, disobedience/acting out, teenager-coded fights, overwhelming crushes and sneaking out. There is nothing wrong with a book focusing on these aspects. It's just not what I picked this read up for. I fear this focus might be a little too juvenile for a lot of YA readers, yet too explicit for middle-grade readers.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I suspect that if this read is marketed differently(to lower YA perhaps, with extensive content warnings), or edited in a way that solidifies it as YA or MG, might make it easier to find its intended audience.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ My other complaint is the lack of show, don't tell. It felt like the author was afraid we wouldn't get certain things, and just in case, held the reader's hand as a result. The Amber Sunburst, in my opinion, could benefit from editing some of these over-explanations out and trusting its readers a bit more to still "get it".
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ BIG focus on the romance plotlines, which could actually be a positive for other readers. Unfortunately, I'm not one easily pleased by romance (sorry!), and in this case I didn't really feel connected to it.


Conclusion/Notes
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I really wanted to love this book as I was absolutely charmed by the character art and the enticing premise. Though there were moments that spoke to me, they sadly weren't enough for me to really enjoy this read.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The concept of a dystopian Plato-inspired society sounded right up my alley. Which is something I do want to applaud Alizeh Abulail for! The Amber Sunburst is a very ambitious concept for a debut.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Unfortunately, the execution wasn't a hit with me personally. I do think there is an audience out there who will appreciate and love this book. I unfortunately just fear that audience doesn't include me.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Regardless of my personal experience with this read, I wish The Amber Sunburst a successful launch, and to Alizeh Abulail, the best of luck with writing the next instalments! I hope this book will find its readers.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ If you are interested in this book, its art and/or further updates, make sure to check out Alizeh Abulail's Instagram account @alizeh.abulail.author


⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

“(...) Alexander is really not one for letting go. No—he’s a stubborn bastard and a fighter till the end. So if he’s going out, and it seems like he might just be, he’ll have to go out kicking.”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆



Follow me on Spotify for specific reading playlists like these: 📚 Whimsical Worlds | 📚 Collapse Of Society

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[Madison Brown]

“His heart melts at everything about her.”

Where to begin? I could not put this book down, and it completely exceeded all my expectations. I came to read this because of the beautiful artwork and was blown away by the story. This book brought me right back to the feelings I had reading Six of Crows, The Maze Runner, and The Hunger Games. The cast is an absolute delight. Every character has such a unique personality and sense of humor, and somehow they all mash together so well I would think they were friends for years. There are six POVs, and I genuinely looked forward to every single one. There were no boring chapters to slog through, which was both shocking and delightful cause I feel this never happens to me.

And the romance in this book delivered. There are three couples (one of which is just getting started by the end of the book), and I was squealing over all of them. Zeno calling Eudoxia “my darling” permanently altered my brain chemistry. Alexander calling Kallias “beautiful” while also lowkey stalking him? Absolutely made my day.

But what I think I enjoyed most was the setting. This is a futuristic Greek dystopian utopia inspired by the teachings of Plato, where the characters are trapped inside this supposed utopia and have to figure out how to reach the outside world, all while competing in deadly trials at their academy. Such a unique concept, and I was completely hooked.

It’s been DAYS since I finished this book, and I still can’t stop thinking about it. I desperately need to know what happens next, and I NEED to get my hands on book two. I cannot recommend this book enough!

[Alia Djomehri]

Omg this book is everything to me don’t even get me started on how good it was (thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read it early 🤭)!


First of all can I just say that indie authors are the ones to bet on? I haven’t given out anything less than 4 stars to the past ARCs I’ve read, they’ve all been phenomenal ✨

Now where do I even start with The Amber Sunburst?! Never have I ever read a novel where I enjoyed each POV (no really). No boring chapters to sludge through until you get back to the MC, just a stunning cast that feels so put together while still maintaining originality between the characters. Our main guy Alexander appears to be your goofy, class clown archetype on the surface but is also extremely courageous with a strong sense of heart. You follow him as he tries to escape from a corruptive academy back home with his group of misfits he picks up along the way. His love interest Kallias carries this brooding mask to cover up his dark past, and as Alex starts to break it secrets and loyalties unravel. Alexander’s other friends (Zeno, Ophelia, Xos, Lazarus, and more) play pivotal roles in the breakout while actively creating a found family bond between each other.

When I was reading this novel, it felt like I was immersed in a warm, tight knit circle. Something about the dialogue is like you’ve transported yourself into a safe space of freedom and openness. Everyone in the main group genuinely cares for one another and the judgement is nonexistent. I think this aspect is what kept drawing me back to read (along with the slow burn romance) because it felt so real. It made the mundane sequences of attending school so much better with funny banter and chemistry between characters that I couldn’t help but giggle at.

My only “gripe” with this book was the assumption that the world survived FIVE world wars without completely eradicating the population ✌️😭 Like I know the author mentioned nuclear winters destroying most of the planet but the fact that any nations remain is still baffling to me. Additionally, I unfortunately cannot see humans giving up/renouncing advanced technology and living primitively to prevent warfare because there are always incomprehensibly greedy people around 🥀 However, I am willing to let these inaccuracies slide because the plot is not focused on the nations and they’re more of an exaggerated setting to convey the world’s current state.

Thus I HIGHLY recommend that you check out this book once released and support an amazing indie author! 💪 She also has beautiful illustrations of the characters that are fun to view so check that out too! Hoping to be back and review book 2 someday (that ending was brutalllll so I better see one soon 😩🙏)!

Pstttt I have so many ideas for fanart now I’m about to go crazy lol

[Alex Drzewiecki]

DNF

Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book.

Ah, I am so sad to do this. But, unfortunately, this book just did not work for me. From the beginning, there was a much more juvenile tone to the narration and dialogue than I was expecting. Especially for characters in their 20s. It often read like lower YA or even middle grade, but periodically held content that you may not want to recommend to those ages.

On top of this, I thought I was getting this epic political fantasy, from the way the premise sounded and the book was being marketed. Instead, it was feeling much more like a high-school drama movie, with a lot of the focus being on fast crushes and partying.

I also really struggle to find my footing in this world. I felt like things were, at times, over explained. Yet I still could not actually imagine the world this story was set in.

I'm so bummed.

[Elaine]

Thank Alizeh for the free ARC!!!

My unbiased review: dark academia vibes + philosophy + Greek mythology + a lil hunger game vibes + lqbtqia+

This lil found family in the midst of chaos really grew on me. The yearning and the flirting!!! But also the solidarity. This was a great foundational book. I am excited to see how the next book builds on top of this.

Plus, the art is incredible. An author of many talents.

Sometimes, the inner monologues were a lil over the top and over explained but it didn’t take away too much from the overall experience.

[potatoship]

A huge thank you to the author for the eARC of this book! I won't be rating it because I'm very much not the target audience here. The writing and prose was very easy to get into (third person limited, present tense), so the multiple POVs and large-scale plot were not intimidating.

Now, full disclaimer: I still enjoy YA books because I think YA books contain coming of age themes that can be for all ages. However, this definitely skewed on the younger side of YA though and felt more geared towards exclusively teenagers than I was expecting. So while the writing itself was very easy to read and immersive, the actual content was a bit too young for me (too much interpersonal drama). I would recommend this to 14-16 year olds. A massive thank you to the author for the advanced reading copy, however!!

[Quinn Grey]

Review from an Advanced Copy Reader.

I took some time to sit with the book before writing this review, after absolutely demolishing it in 2 sittings. Overall I rated this book 5 stars easily. While I have a lot of feelings and analysis and theories, I’m trying to avoid spoilers, so I will make an attempt to turn this into something concise.

The setting, a dystopian future of Earth, is not necessarily anything new or novel, but the plot taking place in a society that follows Plato’s Republic is fascinating and what drew me to this book. I’ll admit that I did not realize this was a series when I started, though I’m glad it will be because I find myself wanting more of everything.

There are 6 primary viewpoints that the book explores the world through, which is incredibly impressive to me as they each have their own very definitive voices, motivations, and stories to tell. It’s often difficult for writers to have such strong characters not blend together a bit, so I really do love that Alizeh was able to separate them out so well.

I feel deeply in love with Kallias, one of the love interests, through Alexander’s eyes. He instantly became my favourite character, and I hope we get more of him in the future. I would have loved more from his POV, but I fully understand why we don’t get that.

The world building was great and well thought through. I did feel like it was a pretty accurate representation of how Republic would have played out, though I would have loved to see more of the dissenting opinions, I think it was handled very well in the ‘no, yeah, these folks are a bit brainwashed by being part of society’. The magic (well, technology) system is fun. It feels a bit like the PJO series in the way that modern and historical elements are merged. Mental illness was covered in a sensitive way, which was also reassuring. It feels like Alizeh really put time and love into making sure it did not come across poorly, which I appreciate immensely.

The one thing that I wish was done that wasn’t was having a translation for the Morse code (which was difficult to go back and forth with). Perhaps add to the author notes at the bottom of page or have a glossary in the back of the book? Not sure best solution.

Honestly? The biggest compliment I can possibly give is that it immediately made me want to write fanfic. It was so good that it inspired me. Five stars. I look forward to seeing where it goes from here and can’t wait for the next volume.

[Nicole]

Review of advance copy received from Author

Wow.. I was drawn to this book after seeing the art from the author, and I am so glad I was selected for this ARC team. This book was phenomenal. The plot was so well written, as well as the characters. It is impossible for me to even choose a favorite character. They were each so beautiful in so many different ways. I am also a huge fan of the found family trope, and it was executed perfectly here! This is one I will definitely be thinking about for a while, and I'm already so excited for book 2!!

[Leo]

Bro Im sorry, I couldn't read more than 6%; this was torture
this is like reading a cheap fanfic from Wattpad
im so sorry, i know this author must have tried, but sometimes books are published before they are ready; I feel like this is one of those books

the writing was... bad... messy even
if felt like the author wanted to say a bunch of information and didn't know how to put it in a cohesive way

The speech and characters were very much not believable. They were very flat/boring. Felt like they all had the same personality. And often their thoughts weren't believable to what was happening at the moment. For ex, the first chapter, alexander was "being water boarded", couldn't breathe, and instead of us seeing what he was doing to get out of this situation, bro started daydreaming abt his brother...

I'm sure that if this book had a lot more work and editing it could be something good. But like this? just not it, sry

I feel like I'm being too harsh, but genuinely, i had better expectations for this.

Please try to study a bit how narratives are made, or how to build not so flat characters, or how to write with intent, BEFORE you publish a book
Get an agent, watch tutorials, take courses, anything. Just don't publish a book in this state...
so sorry for this harsh review again, this is not to make the author feel bad, just in hopes to help them make something better

[mika]

I cannot thank the author Alizeh enough for trusting me with an early digital copy of her book. That was simply incredible, and I can't give it any less than 5 stars, no hesitation whatsoever.

Sooo. Yep. This novel has left me utterly speechless. I am literally staring at my blank page wondering what I could possibly say to accurately describe what an amazing reading experience I just lived. I cannot wait for the next instalment(s) in the series. There is so much depth to this first book (which is incredible, considering this is the author’s debut) both in terms of world-building, characterisation and themes.

To put it in a few words, ‘The Amber Sunburst’ takes place in a very advanced post-apocalyptic city called Kallipolis, based on the principles and the society that Plato builds in his ‘Republic’ (which you don’t need to read as prep, don’t worry). No one outside it knows the island exists, and no one inside know there is more to the world. So, when Alexander washes up on the Republic’s shores, he has no idea where he has just landed. To survive, he plays along and pretends he is a new student at the Academy, while trying to figure out an escape plan. As the story goes on, he (and other great, GREAT characters) will learn to see through the illusions and lies that surround the seemingly utopian Republic.
If you’re like me and love all things Ancient Greece, dystopia and casually queer, then there’s no doubt you’ll love ‘The Amber Sunburst’!

With such a complex universe, I was afraid at first that I might be confused, however, that was not the case. The author does an astounding job at subtle world-building and providing the information needed at specific times.
It was mind-blowing to notice how segregated a city Kallipolis is, even though it claims it does not differentiate. The cast of characters evolve in the Academy, where Auxiliaries study in preparation for the Trials, a sort of battle for glory and power. The last ones standing will become a part of the leadership class, from Guardians who maintain order and justice to the Educator themself, who oversees the whole Republic. The Academy is decidedly a whole other world compared to the eight Arcs—the commoners’ neighbourhoods.
On that note, I do wish the novel showed a bit more of what life is like outside the Academy. I also wish I could’ve known more about is the Six Survivors—the countries outside Kallipolis. Alexander gives a bit of insight on what it is like, especially regarding the Holy American Empire, where he is from; and there is a scene where he delves into way too much detail (the only time I found the world-building was not smooth enough) on the topic. It’s not that I don’t know enough to understand the story, more that I’m curious and want to find out even more. This novel gave so much already, it has so many layers; but what can I say. I just love complex worlds and I honestly would devour the whole History of the Republic the characters have to read for class.

Speaking of characters… Did I mention they’re great? Because they are.
‘The Amber Sunburst’ revolves around six main characters: Alexander, Zeno, Eudoxia, Ophelia, Lazarus and Kallias. It might seem intimidating to jump into a story with so many perspectives, but the author does it very smoothly. Their voices are all so unique, I honestly didn’t even have to read the subtitle to know in whose head I was. I was surprised to find how easily I got attached to them, and how hard I felt and rooted for them all. Their personalities are very layered, yet their traits are almost never served to us on a silver platter. Only through their thoughts, acts and observations of one another do we get to know them. And I got familiar with all of the cast so quickly. From page one, Alexander was my best friend—his voice is so amusing, it just put me at ease!
Frankly, the characterisation is one of, if not the most amazing aspect of that novel.
Each character is thoroughly explored. Their individual issues get more or less the same amount of attention, and I loved how they all intertwined with one another and impacted the main storyline. Many difficult themes are handled—beautifully so. On that note, be aware this novel depicts scenes of abuse and predatory behaviour, as well as anxiety, dissociation and suicidal ideation. (And some vague mentions to sex as well, but the characters are in their twenties, so, yeah.) However, there is no graphic detail and those issues are decidedly not romanticised in any way. The theme that stuck out to me was definitely the feeling of being stuck in a role that doesn’t feel like yours. Though you are told you are free, there is still control being exerted over you, whether you are conscious of it or not. Mind-blowing stuff, truly. And gut-wrenching, too. I found a piece of myself, big or small, in each of them. I kind of want to take a quiz to know which one I am, or perhaps to find out which ‘social category’ I belong to. Though I think I might be most similar to Lazarus. His chapters hit a bit too close to home. I cried many, many times.
And laughed, too, because the characters’ dynamics were so entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed all of them! Alexander and Kallias’ scenes got me wanting to throw my e-reader every two seconds, they’re so GREAT. All the relationships evolve in a noticeable yet very subtle way throughout the story. I did find the romantic subplot between Eudoxia and Zeno to be a tad redundant at times, but I do think it is precisely that redundancy that is central to the evolution of their relationship, if that makes any sense. Romance is not the only kind of dynamic, though, which I loved. The true focus is on friendships and finding a family within those friendships, in a world where family ties aren’t allowed to matter.
Side characters are also present, but unfortunately they are not as explored as the main cast—though that is understandable. There is a barista at the beginning who acts as an introduction to Kallipolis for Alexander, but we just never see him again, unfortunately. (He is mentioned once, though, so I guess that is something.) I wish we could’ve known more about Theokleia as well, and her relationship with Lazarus. I get the feeling there is much more to her than we got to see… Something else to look forward to in Book II, I hope!

Thus I feel the plot is truly driven by characters’ choices. But also, retrospectively, the characters’ choices are forced/guided by the plot—or, should I say, the powerful force behind the plot.
There are so many things that I understood only after finishing it. Most notably, the very beginning of the story. I admit I was a bit skeptical: When Alexander arrives and pretends he is a new Academy student pulled up from the countryside, everyone believes him, no questions asked. It is stated that there are close to no Auxiliary that isn’t blood-related to members of the leadership class, and I assume it is also not regular for people from different areas of the Republic to interact, but it just felt…off. Too easy for such a world. That feeling eased as I read and I almost forgot about it entirely as Alexander became friends with other Auxiliaries and all; but what I’m trying to say is: do not be put off! It is there for a reason! EVERYTHING in this novel is there for a reason! Once again, mind-blowing stuff. That’s another really interesting aspect of the novel that I loved: all the foreshadowing and seemingly useless details that go unnoticed until you finish reading. I kind of want to re-read the book already to pinpoint everything!

Apart from the character-focused story arcs, the main plot is basically this: the cast trying to escape the Republic, while fighting for their lives in the Trials. Needless to say, the stakes are quite high. I was literally gripping my e-reader by the end of Trial I, and also all throughout the last few chapters. I was thoroughly invested and captivated the whole course of the novel. The tension was not constant, though; there are many sweet and humorous moments that made me forget all about the inevitable tragedy to come. Most of the said-tragedy is a little predictable, as far as I’m concerned. You know that dread you feel, like something very bad is going to happen, but you still hope it won’t, and when it happens eventually, you’re still shocked and shaken? Well, that is exactly how I felt. Though maybe that’s just my tendency over-analyse things and presume the worst. (Not that I hope the worst happens. If the characters don’t get the happy ending they deserve and get to do shenanigans together, I will be MAD.) Still, there are several plot-twists I didn’t see coming at ALL. Ophelia and Kallias being literally crafted? Aika’s eyes?? I cried AND gasped. Emotional roller-coaster.

As it is a first instalment, there are still questions left unanswered, which I will now list below:
- What were Lazarus and Theokleia’s riddles in Trial II?
- On a related note: Did the first letters of Kallias’ riddle spell ‘broken’ on purpose? (The author confirmed it did. And told me I am the first reader to notice it. So. I am proud and WILL brag about it.) That was my initial answer for the riddle, before Alexander noticed the endings also spelling something.
- What do the other characters’ amulets look like?
- Who is the woman on the (gorgeous) cover?
- If Kallias and Ophelia are ‘creations’, does that mean they can be literally controlled by their creator? Kallias’ betrayal couldn’t have been voluntary, is what I believe. And it felt like the Educator was reading Ophelia’s mind, during their scenes together.
- DID THEY BOARD THE HOVERCRAFT? My theory is that Eudoxia, Zeno and Arete absolutely should, while Alexander, Ophelia and Lazarus try to save the Republic. Yes, that would entail breaking the group (and not getting to see the great relationships Arete has with Ophelia and Lazarus), but it would make so much sense to have people on the outside AND on the inside. They could have so much more leverage!
Admittedly, they don’t need to be answered. But, as I said, I am curious and want to know everything, even if it doesn’t impact the plot, even if it doesn’t matter, even if it breaks the AMAZING pace this novel has.

If the extreme length of that review wasn’t clear enough: I loved ‘The Amber Sunburst’. I could probably go on and on about details, but I want to be relatively spoiler-free because this is a novel that needs to be Experienced. I will just say: this book has left me sobbing, grieving, longing for more; it doesn’t want to leave my mind; it has filled me with hope, and then tore it away from me with its AWFUL (/pos) ending. Basically, I’m a mess. And I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

In spite of all the awful things that happen, there is one clear message that I gathered and will probably stay with me for a while:
"The only options aren’t to sink or swim."
Sometimes, you can just float, and let it be okay.

[Gracie McCormick]

An exiled prince, a dying star, a wasted priestess, a silent musician, a defiant sister, and a plummeting Icarus find each other through the cracks of a 'perfect' society.
SIX OF CROWS x SONG OF ACHILLES × HUNGER GAMES

First of all: I feel so honored to be apart of the arc team for this lovely book!! I have been so excited to read it and I can’t believed I’ve finished it! (Also, as I am writing this, it is a bit late, and most of it has been written for the better part of 3 weeks, but I kinda forgot about it. Anyway....)

Second of all: This was one of the easiest five stars I have given for a book in a very long time! It was so incredibly well-written and a fun read. I was hooked by every character, every chapter, every page! One of my favorite parts about this book (and one of the most infuriating aspects) was the drawn out romance between the characters. Nothing felt rushed or forced. I loved it with all my heart and I cannot wait to re-read it and enjoy it all over again!

SPOILERS FOR THE NEXT PART:
The plot twists in this book were amazing, and always just that; a plot twist! Oftentimes while reading, I end up figuring the deal-breaking plot twist so early on in the novel that it is no longer interesting, but I honestly did not guess a single plot twist before it was presented and was pleasantly surprised each and every time. Finding out Kallias and Ophelia were siblings was so shocking, yet so confirming at the same time! They are so similar, yet so different at the same time. The second-to-last chapter was one of the most heartbreaking chapters I have ever read and I couldn't get enough of it. I can't wait to find out what happens next! I am so ready for book 2 to come out!!

[Tazz]

Okay, to start this off, this book was absolutely fantastic. Easiest 5 stars I've ever given in my life. This may turn into something of an analysis, but I plan to save that analysis for a full analysis doc I'll write later. In case you are like me and like to go into books blind, I want to note that this in book 1 of an ongoing series. I started reading this book while knowing the bare minimum about it (I like to be surprised), and didn't know that it was meant to be a series, so I was distraught when the end didn't give me closure. If that sounds like you, just read my bullet points and ignore the paragraphs.
Real quick:
- Some implied sexual connotations, but nothing explicit happens between characters, so it's a clean read for those who don't like spice. All main characters are adults and are aged 20+.
- Content Warnings: graphic violence (in a later chapter), referenced grooming (briefly referenced, but previously implied), abuse (both implied and explicitly stated), sexual coercion (mild), predatory behavior (mild), various mental illnesses (including suicidal ideation), and suicide (brief and prior to the novel's setting)

With that said, let's get into it!!
Summary of my review:
- Amazing depth and complexity in all aspects of the book
- Amazing characters and character POV writing
- Amazing inter-character relationships
- Amazing mental health representation
- Amazing natural plot, subplot, and relationship progression
- Amazing at subtle detailing (not a lot of listed detail, but a lot of passively naturally implied details)
- Amazing job foreshadowing and weaving small details back into the main plot
- Amazing pacing (fast enough to keep you engaged and invested, but slow enough to keep up the suspense and let you take your time enjoying the moments and journey of the novel)
- Did I say that it was overall amazing?

ANYWAYS, for the more detailed breakdown:
Reading this book is a genuine experience. There is so much depth and so many layers to everything written in this novel. It pulls you into the book and makes you feel so connected with the world before it's even really described to you properly. The setting (a futuristic, evolved version of Plato's Republic called Kallipolis that's hidden away in a post-nuclear-apocalyptic world) is easy to grasp despite its complexities, and the Kallipolis social classes and community as well as the general world's overview are all fluidly established in the first chapter. Of course, the world is further elaborated on naturally as the story progresses, and it's absolutely brilliant how you learn things at the same pace as our main characters without getting lost or feeling uncertain any certain details. Any details you are confused about while reading The Amber Sunburst are the same details that our main characters are confused about, so you experience everything alongside them. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. You will be taken on such a rollercoaster.
On that note, this level of depth extends way past the world building, which brings me to my absolute favorite part of this book: THE CHARACTERS. MY SHAYLAS. OH MY GODS, I LOVE THEM. Every single character has their own distinct traits and qualities that make them who they are. Alizeh, the author, does an absolutely phenomenal job defining each character's personality through the writing in their POVs. The wording and tonality shifts. They react to emotional situations differently, sometimes even resulting in unspoken tension, or lack of, with our characters. They all have one main noticeable fundamental flaw, and many other smaller ones that make them feel so human. None of the characters are by any means perfect. Their flaws and worldviews are tailored to their characters and past, and it's a beautifully portrayed insight to their past and who they are as people. Their behaviors and focuses and the details that get their attention all help you to understand the character's depths without explicitly being wrote out. There's one specific character that I have in mind while writing this. We don't get a single POV of this character until the very end, and you learn everything about how his mind works through the observations of others. No, they don't say anything about him flat out except maybe twice. Everything we learn about him is through observing his behaviors and presence and attachment style as he shows up more and more prominently. I cannot express how beautifully it is done. There are so many layers to every character that you learn indirectly and passively, and it's just absolutely enamoring. I'm cutting myself off here because I can literally write paragraphs about these characters (I have written paragraphs about this to Alizeh), and I won't stop if I keep going.
Moving on, the plot evolves so naturally in this book. The story and characters aren't forced in the slightest. Their relationships progress so naturally that you can't even define exactly when the shifts happen. There are so many small details about character relationships (both implied and stated) that make them feel infinitely more real and keep you invested in their dynamics. They grow and confront emotions and difficulties that reflect on their development as characters while simultaneously pushing the plot forward passively. There are so many subplots playing out at the same time as the main story that end up feeding back into it one way or another. The subplots weave perfectly into the main plot, and all actions (even the ones that are just details of subplots) have consequences that play into the momentum of the overall story. Character decisions, interests, hobbies, bonding, and internal conflicts effect the plot so heavily without you even noticing it unless they're thrown in your face (which they occasionally are as a reality check). You don't notice their significance until the characters do, and it's truly beautiful.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book, and it easily made my top 3 books of all time. The depth was amazing, and the pacing was fast enough to keep you engaged while remaining slow enough to let you appreciate the moments little moment and walk the journey that the book takes you on while building up the suspense that just pulls you in deeper. I finished this book in under 48 hours and was so very honored to be told that I was the first ARC reader to ever finish reading it. Character development and character parallels were absolutely lovely to experience, the foreshadowing throughout the book was utterly brilliant, and moving through the plot at the same pace as the characters was entirely devastating and beautiful. I connected so deeply with all Alizeh's characters, their relationships, their flaws, and their problems. I am so invested in each and every character in this novel, and it left me with so many theories and questions and overall thoughts. I 100% recommend that you read this book and that you take your time enjoying it. That's my only regret in reading this book. I read it too fast, and now I'm looking back at it and thinking how much more I would have enjoyed it if I paced myself, but alas, it was just that engaging. Everything about this book has been living rent free in my head since I first started it, and I have absolutely no complaints about that.

[Courtney]

For the reader who loves Ancient Greece, LGBTQIA+, Diverse Casts, Found Family, Dystopian Novels, Philosophy, Fluff and Angst, Hope - if any of this is your cup of tea, I definitely recommend giving this story a chance.

This book was everything I hoped it would be. I was drawn in by the amazing art created by the author and then when I heard that the story was a dystopian type novel inspired by Plato’s The Republic, my curiosity kept returning to this concept and I knew I needed to see how this story played out. As much as I love myth retellings, it was truly refreshing to come across and read a story that was not a retelling or an alternate version of a myth but rather a completely original take on concepts derived from the ancient world. To put it simply, I was utterly blown away by this incredible novel and was not disappointed at all.

The writing was beautiful and devastating, the overarching idea relatively simple but also deeply complex. The story felt cozy at times while also being high stakes. Every word, every moment was painstakingly thought out and felt so real.

It kept me hooked and starving for more but also left me purposefully drawing out the story as long as possible because I didn’t want it to end, especially knowing where things would inevitably end up and knowing a sequel is in the works. In the moments where I wasn’t reading, I found myself continually thinking about the characters and where the story would go. After finishing the novel, I can confidently say that this is a story that will stick with me for years to come.

As someone who usually gets annoyed with protagonists, I was surprised to find it impossible to pick a favorite of the crew not because I didn’t like them but because I immediately fell in love with all of the main cast. Perhaps this is partially due to the story being shared in multiple POVs and not just one character’s. I would love nothing more than to be able to hang out with all of them and give them all much needed hugs. Every character was complicated and yet deeply loveable in their own ways.

I had high hopes for this novel before even reading a single word but by the end of Chapter 1, I knew this was going to be a top read for me for the year. I truly loved how the story incorporates Plato and Socrates’ ideas and how the author explains things well enough that those who are unfamiliar with those ideas can easily understand the concepts presented. It is not necessary to have engaged with Plato’s The Republic before reading this novel but you’ll definitely pick up on a lot more if you do, or even if you simply visit the author’s website where she explains the specific ideas within Plato’s The Republic that inspired The Amber Sunburst.

I especially adore how the world the author has created feels ancient but also includes modern and futuristic technology. This dichotomy helps lend an air of unease to this supposedly perfect utopia-like society. As you read, you tend to forget this story isn’t set place in an ancient society but rather is set several centuries in a possible future timeline of our world. But the reminders are always there with the casual mentions of the tech or a reference to something more modern and that sense of underlying unease creeps back in and ends up tying into one of the themes of the book (and also the 3rd Trial). I could feel anxiety building up as the story progressed and throughout the entire 3rd act, I was sitting on the edge of my seat.

As someone who has studied Ancient Greece and Rome in depth and has the degree to prove it, I appreciated the attention to detail not only in the inspiration from Ancient Greek philosophy but also other aspects of the ancient world - the priestesses and their rituals (which in turn hint at various mystery cults), twins and their significance in myth, garment names and materials used, etc. Several myths are referenced throughout the novel, some more subtly than others (Icarus, The Minotaur, Achilles and Patroclus, Oedipus, potentially Hyacinthus). Each time one is, if you know the myths, it gives you insight into the character’s stories and personalities as well as key elements of the plot. The Greek origins of the characters’ names also give insight into their overarching role.

That being said, this story does focus more on characters and their relationships with each other and society over the plot and world building. Personally I didn’t mind this given the fact that found family is a main theme/trope but I did wish the first two trials had been given more screen time, so to speak (I especially loved the 2nd trial, it was quite cleverly done in my opinion, and found I probably would have failed given the time-limit aspect of the trial). I also hope that the sequel will delve a bit more into the world-building aspects of the story. So if predominately character-driven stories are not your thing, this may not be the novel for you.

I was honored to be selected as a member of Alizeh’s ARC team for this novel. The opinions stated here are entirely my own. I am incredibly grateful to the author for sharing her novel and I cannot wait for the sequel to see how the rest of this story pans out (I do wonder if it might end up being a trilogy due to Plato’s city being divided into 3 different parts as an allegory to 3 parts of the human soul but only time will tell). I will eagerly be waiting for any future novels Alizeh chooses to share with the world and I truly hope this story finds its audience.

[Kayla K]

Before I start my review, I want to quickly thank the author Alizeh Abulail for allowing me to be an ARC reader on her team; it has truly been a joy and an honor.

I'll start off by saying that this read can be recommended to and enjoyed by a wide range of ages, from probably around 14 up (YA), as long as you don't mind reading about abuse, graphic violence (one scene), sexual coercion, predatory behavior, and mental illnesses.

With that being said, I'll write about some aspects of the book that I absolutely loved (without spoilers):
My favorite part was easily the characters. I was drawn in to read this book in the first place because the character descriptions (and art :) ) intrigued me, and they absolutely did not disappoint. I was in love with how well they were each fleshed out- they all had very distinct personalities, their own quirks, individual mindsets and ways of thinking based on each of their specific pasts and personal experiences, and different relationships and interactions with each other. And I find it especially impressive when writing six separate POVs to not blur the characters together and make them too similar. I also really appreciated all of the diversity within the characters, from different mental health issues to various sexual orientations and more.
Going along with the characters, I also really enjoyed seeing all of their interactions (both friendly and romantic), and seeing how they acted in both high pressure/high stakes situations and while they were at ease. Something I often half-jokingly wish for in fantasy books especially is to see spin-offs of how the main characters would act if they're not in danger or don't have to save the world (or whatever else their story focuses on), and I like how you do get some of that in this book. Yes, you do see them struggle in things like the trials and executing serious plans for things I won't spoil, but you also get to see them joke and laugh, and even have meals together and hang out and just have a breather, and I love that.
The setting was also very creative and engaging. I was very intrigued by and somewhat skeptical of the idea of a futuristic Plato's republic, because it sounded very contradictory to me, but it ended up exceeding my expectations, being written with good detail and easing you into it so it wasn't too confusing, and the blend of ancient Greek mythology and culture with modern technology was very cool to read about as well.
I think the pacing was perfect (and this seems to be something many can agree on)- fast enough to be engaging, but not rushed. It made me want to pick up the book all the time (especially more towards the second half) because I was dying to know what the characters were up to next. The chapters were also great lengths, because they weren't too long so as to seem daunting, yet they were still long enough to contain important developments and fun moments. The writing style fit the book perfectly in my opinion as well, because the third person POV was still in depth enough to share each character's thoughts and feelings clearly and distinctively, and writing in present tense helped make you really feel like you were experiencing the story right alongside the characters.
I also wanted to quickly note that I really savored some of the plot twists towards the end, but I won't write about them because that would be all spoilers, so you'll have to read for yourself if you haven't already. :)
With all of those really good aspects, there were still a few issues that I won't get into because I've already written so much and they're minor to me anyways, but the positives vastly outweighed them enough to make it more than deserving of five stars. I'm especially impressed with how polished and well it was written for a self edited and self published author; that is genuinely such a huge accomplishment. I can't stop thinking of the book and beautifully written characters, and am so so so excited to see what will happen to Kallias, Alexander, Zeno, Eudoxia, Ophelia, and Lazarus next in book two!! If you need a book to fall in love with, here it is.

[thetlyalit]

The Amber Sunburst is a story I have a soft spot for. It’s such an ambitious debut with such an intriguing hook that reeled me right into requesting the arc.

The post-apocalyptic utopia with an Ancient Greek setting is the main thing that drew me to this book, and it did not disappoint. The world building, the politics, the academy felt so vivid and made for such an interesting read. It’s digestible yet intricate enough. The world also gives the series a high ceiling to work with. I don’t know where the next book is headed but I personally think there’s so much Alizeh can do with this setting and theme, and I can’t wait to see where we’ll be taken to next.

When I filled out the arc form, the one thing I communicated to the author was my hesitation towards the amount of POVs. Six is quite a high number, and for all of them to be getting more or less an equal amount of page time, it meant some things were going to feel unnecessary and some were going to feel not addressed enough. I think my expectations somewhat came true? I personally didn’t find the six characters similar or confusing. They had distinct voices and struggles, and felt unique to their own, yet also relatable. But I do think some chapters were unnecessary and/or needed to be told a different way. Sometimes, we’d get A’s chapter where he’s almost narrating C and D’s ongoing romance. Instead, I wished we got more of A’s feelings and struggles and inner workings of his mind, maybe his romance with B even.

There’s a certain way the point of views were set up and things that were told through them that I think weren’t done quite efficiently enough. Our six cast are so lovable, I really think so, but I never felt like we went THERE. Even with all of them having a good amount of chapters dedicated to them, I still didn’t feel like I knew them deeper than the surface level. I think this is where my gripe of choosing to tell C and D’s story through A’s lens came in. I think a line or two would’ve sufficed for the readers to know how a couple is being perceived by third parties. I wanted the characters to get more vulnerable and introspective, I wanted to see who they were outside of the main struggles and romances presented in this book, and I don’t think I got that. This also connects to some surprises I felt near the ending, especially with Eudoxia and Alexander. We never spent much time outside of their crushes that when the time came to where they did what they did, it felt out of left field for me. People are multi-dimensional but I never saw those sides of our characters that it left a questionable and iffy taste in my mouth.

I think the plot device at the end sort of became a double-edged sword. I can’t say much without giving away spoilers, but for that element to be truly shocking, the narrative had to be told a certain way — mysterious and easy. I wished the trials felt more detailed and tense, like death trials should be. I wished we got more heart to heart conversations instead of so many things being shrouded in mystery. I wished I felt a stronger emotional punch and a devastating heartache at the point where I was supposed to.

But still, for me, the core of the story was the friendship our six characters had. They felt so real, like, I could see them in people around me. Like so many people their age, they have fun, they get in trouble and they get in pretty obvious crushes. It made me giddy and coo, and I had my time reading the scenes where they just hang out and banter with each other.

As I sit and try to organize my feelings, I still think TAS is a good book. There’s so much potential here. There’s also so much heart here. I’m genuinely interested in seeing where the story takes Kallias, Alexander, Ophelia, Lazarus, Eudoxia and Zeno to, and I think I’d be pretty glad to be back into this world when the time for a second book comes.


This is a review of an advance copy gifted by the author in exchange of an honest review.

[inkbyh]

Want to Read
I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the ARC team❤️

Review

“But then he thinks about the beach by the castle and his father’s soft laugh cutting through the light haze of sea mist. He thinks about his people, the hundreds he can greet by name on the streets of Nuevo Vatican. He thinks about the fact that home is home, no matter whether he truly belongs there or not.”

4/5⭐️

🛑THERE MAY BE SOME MINOR SPOILERS🛑

The Amber Sunburst is a lush, captivating story about a post-apocalyptic society built around Plato’s Republic.

Alexander, heir to the Holy American Empire, washes up on an unfamiliar island. And a society that certainly should not be here. Ophelia, a Priestess of the Sun, wastes away cycling through a mundane life, all while knowing she is meant for something greater. Zeno, the silent musician, masks his fears with kindness, the only thing tethering him to himself is his beautiful violin. Eudoxia, the brilliant lie, is torn between keeping her greatest secret and finding love through it all. Lazarus, the plummeting Icarus, is burdened by expectation, once meant to be a glorious star, now discarded as an incompetent wreck. And finally Kallius, the mystery, catches the attention of charming Alexander, who may be his worst fear. Together, all of their lives begin to spiral towards the same impossible truth.

From the characters to the plot, I enjoyed this book. I liked Alexander's charming, easy-going personality—reminded me of Percy Jackson. Zeno's gentle nature was a refreshing twist on the morally grey mmc, and I loved seeing Eudoxia's sweet sibling relationship with her younger sister. Ophelia was funny and effortlessly likable, complementing Alexander, and it was fun to watch them both interact. Kallius was beautifully rendered—like a marble statue that drew everyone in despite themselves. His past and motivations were shrouded in mystery for the majority of the book, though it provided ample tension for his relationship with Alexander. Lazarus was my favorite character, though it was hard to choose between the main six, as his arc was just so relatable and compelling. His anxiety attacks and ruminations were well-written and a good testament to the psychological scarring of mental illness.

Beyond the characters, the world building is just as striking. The Arcs, structure of the Council, and the Trials were well described and made me feel as though I was watching a brand new world unfold. There were a few times I got tripped up with the new vocabulary, but there was enough information to get me moving again. I also liked the way Alexander's vocabulary mostly consisted of Bible metaphors, which helped it feel consistent with the world and set him apart from the others who mentioned Greek myth. I liked Lazarus's name as well, as it foreshadows the Republic knows more than they let on.

The representation was just as well done. Most of the characters appeared to be bi/pan, and one of the major relationships was between two men. It is rare that we get to see an all LGBTQ+ cast in a fantasy book, and I was really glad that we did.

Despite all the strengths, there were minor issues. I often felt as though I was reading the first person and had to remind myself that it was actually third person. I think the present tense narration led to this. Kleitos feels like a superficial antagonist, the kind you would see on the Disney Channel. I understand the humorous appeal he holds, but I would have liked it if he actually posed more of a threat to more than just one of the main characters. I want more relationship development between Kallius and Alexander, because their relationship seemed to be built on top of banter. And that leading to persevering love doesn't really make sense. I wish we got to see more of Ophelia’s desires instead of her commentating on Alexander/Kallius and Zeno/Eudoxia. It kind of goes against the entire point Ophelia was trying to make about wanting autonomy and a purpose.

Overall, I enjoyed The Amber Sunburst and would recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian fantasy.

I would like to thank the author for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review❤️

[Ella Montei]

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC READER REVIEW

Firstly I want to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to become an eARC reader for this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book! I am truly honored that I am able to read and review this book before everyone else. now let’s get to the review ⬇️

Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance
(although it could be okay for some y/a readers, the themes and topics of this book can sometimes be seen as more mature topics)
Tropes: slow burn, friends to lovers, unexpected acquaintances to lovers, LGBTQIA MCs
Comparable Books: Six of Crows, Percy Jackson, Song of Achilles, Hunger Games

“He’s never wondered what it sounds like when blue-green ocean and pitch-black night finally find each other on the horizon, but now he’ll never have to. It’s the gentle, twinkling bells of a porch windchime. It’s the violent, glorious crash of a hurricane battering against the shore. Alexander’s world half-tilts on its axis.”

Let’s start here! Like HELLO?! The descriptions in this book are crazy! (in a good way). I love how the author paints an image in your head with every paragraph, word, and detail. This book makes you feel like you are in their world with all the descriptions and wording choices. It’s amazing. And this book has the found family and banter of Six of Crows so what’s not to love about that?! I loved reading all of the different POVS and getting more insight into each of the characters. I only wish that we got more POVS from Kallias and Lazarus. The characters are so lovable and they captivate you from the start. This book also has the Hunger Games stakes with the trials. The characters constantly have to overcome the challenges that are put before them while also trying to survive a world that is corrupted.

The opening line of this book had me hooked from the very start. Once I started reading it was hard for me to put this down. It may be a 450 page book, but it read so fast that it really didn’t feel all that long. I also love how all the chapters have a tarot card that represents that character. I thought that was such a cool and interesting thing to add to the book. ALSO THAT ENDING?! Like HELLO I need more as of yesterday! I literally can’t wait to see more of what happens and what the characters choose to do next. Like there’s no way that I fell in love with these characters and got absolutely destroyed at the end. I literally have no words.

Overall, this is a good book and I will definitely be recommending it to people as I think a lot of people will love this book. The only thing that threw me off was that the characters were in their 20s (nothing wrong with that). While reading I was just assuming that they were 16-18 years old with the writing style and conversations they were having. The writing style is very y/a friendly but the themes and topics that were mentioned and shown through the book i would not consider totally y/a friendly. Yes, a y/a reader could read this book and be fine with it, but some may not totally understand the topics in this. For me it felt like reading a book that was written for middle grade readers but ended up being a bit more mature (topic wise). But I really did truly enjoy reading this book. I was able to be transported to a new and different world with all these amazing characters and forget everything about what I was doing previously. I cannot wait to read book two and hopefully be apart of the team again!

[Eilah]

Thank you to Alizeh and for trusting me with an advance copy of the book!

Rating: upper end of 2 stars (2.5)

I’ll start with some things I really enjoyed. The world building - such a cool concept. Great social commentary through the Arcs with the staircase. I really liked the line about how it’s easy to fall down them and hard to climb up, very much like society today.

I also thought it was really cool how Alexander’s brother was named Cain with how they parallel Cain and Abel.

As for the plot and pacing, the characters felt underdeveloped, the stakes felt too low, and the pacing was slow for me.

About the characters, they tended to swallow each other’s voices, often feeling indistinguishable without a dialogue tag. For instance, Eudoxia, Kallias, and Alexander all call people idiots a lot, and Zeno makes an idiot comment as well. If the characters had their own insults, it could have helped distinguish them more. However, Ophelia tends to say/think “stupid” rather than idiot, and that helped make her voice stand out more than the others. 

The characters were also all extremely witty, with quips and quick remarks for everything thrown at them, which tended to obfuscate individual personalities. The constant banter made for a lot of great pull lines, but when the relationships are built almost entirely on banter, they fall flat and stretch the readers’ & relationships’ credulity. 

Additionally, I’d have loved for the romantic pairings to be further developed. Seeing more open vulnerability between the love interest pairs, a part of themselves that they don’t share with the other characters, would have strengthened the logic behind their pairings. 

In regards to character arcs, I know this is book 1 so there is more depth and development to come, but even within this individual arc I couldn’t quite get a sense of each character going through a transformation from beginning to end. With a cast so big it’s especially difficult to pull this off. Alexander had the most potential to be fleshed out with his brother lore and ending up in a new place, but even he was a little confusing on how quickly he adapted to the new world. Cain also exists as this illusive backdrop but doesn’t really add to Alexander’s character much aside from background knowledge. Alexander’s extremely flirty, forward personality and actions sometimes didn’t feel like it reflected his history. Ophelia had more defined stakes and motivations with her sister which I liked. 

The plot also moved quite slowly, and while the huge question was answered at the very end, it left me unsatisfied with more questions than answers.

The prose is mostly dialogue and interiority, but I would have liked to see more expanded descriptions that ground us in their interesting world and surroundings. I wish I saw more of what was going on around them and what things looked like through the characters’ eyes. 

Also, this is especially subjective, but the tagline, especially with how it was used, felt too canny with “May the odds be ever in your favor,” especially given that HG was a comp title. The writing style felt closer to middle grade, but the dirty jokes imply this should be on a more mature side of YA.

I’m so grateful to have been part of the ARC team!! Wishing the very best for the next installment.

[Siobhan MW]

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 2.5/5

While the blurb intrigued me immediately, this book ultimately fell short of my expectations. It's marketed as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games and Six of Crows, which led me to expect a dystopian story with a cast of gripping characters. This, I did not receive.

To begin with, the dystopian society is not fleshed out enough to be believable. Certainly, the worldbuilding is explained succinctly, but the author often had Alexander outright think about how the regime was oppressive, cult-ish, etc. This telling rather than showing was used throughout the story, often overexplaining why the characters were feeling or doing something without allowing the reader to come to their own conclusion. In no way did it feel like the dystopian elements were used to comment on real-life society, and they were instead used as a backdrop to the story.

Speaking of the story, there was not actually much plot considering how long this book was. The main focus of this book were the trials, which would've been fine if the side-plots had been interesting enough to make the slow lead up to the final trial worth it. Sadly, they were not, which made this book a slog to get through. Most of the side-plots focused on the romances between the characters. However, not only were these romances uninteresting and lacking in chemistry, they also were drawn out to the point of frustration. There was no real reason for these characters to not admit their feelings for each other. It just made them feel even more immature and unrealistic as characters.

A character-driven story also has to have fully developed characters for it to be effective. I can see what the author was attempting to do with some of the characters, and I think this story could've been much more interesting if the romances had been put aside to develop the characters instead, and then develop the romances later in the series. Other than one character who had a strong motivation (although they didn't have much to their character beyond that), I had a difficult time getting a sense of what motivated the characters. Alexander in particular, felt passive and naive. There were hints to his backstory but it wasn't explained until much later in the book, which made connecting to his character difficult. For such a large cast of characters, they did not feel particularly unique from each other, and I felt very neutral about all of them. There was nothing to love or to hate.

I was also disappointed by the juvenile writing style. I will say that the writing style wasn't bad, per se; there weren't many grammar mistakes as far as I could see, and it didn't read clunky or awkward. But I did expect the prose to be a little more advanced. The juvenile prose and the immaturity and naivety of the characters (who did not feel like 20 year olds) contrasted strangely with the darker themes and sexual innuendos. I am aware that the author has now changed this to a YA book instead of Adult, but I would go far as to say that if it wasn't for that more explicit content, this would feel like a Middle Grade book.

Overall, while I did not enjoy this book, I wish the author the best of luck. I am sure it will find its readers.

[aomi_parker]

Thank you so much to Alizeh for gifting me an ARC copy of her debut novel! I want to start by congratulating Alizeh on self-publishing her very first book; the amount of time and energy it required was immense and something to be very proud of!

Now on to the book itself. When I first learned about The Amber Sunburst I thought it was such a unique concept. A world based on Utopia and Plato's concepts found in The Republic combined with Greek mythology history seemed like the perfect recipe for any former Percy Jackson kids. I really enjoyed hearing from the six main characters and I thought the friendships between them were sweet. I thought that the pacing was good as well, with no parts going on for too long/not long enough.

Unfortunately, there were several areas where this book fell short. I felt that there could have been more world building in the sense that not a lot of visual description is given for the different locations. Kallipolis seems like such a beautiful place but I struggled to actually imagine what it looked like. Additionally, there was a lot of telling rather than showing. The over explaining for some topics lead me to guess a plot twist ahead of time. On the other hand, other topics were under explained, especially Alexander's back story. It was hard to understand some of his motives when I felt like I hardly knew him. For example, at the end Alexander starts using a Portuguese (?) nickname for Kallias which to me came out of left field. There was nowhere else in the story where it was revealed that Alexander spoke another language so it felt a bit disjointed and last minute. Ophelia's situation towards the end of the book also felt a bit underwhelming. I didn't understand the villain she encountered nor how the villain related to Ophelia's former friends. There is a chance I read through the chapter too fast, but I feel like the entire scene needed to be revised or cut completely.

The character voices also became convoluted at times. Because the six main characters all spoke similarly/used similar vocabulary, I sometimes failed to notice when a different character was speaking or I would forget whose POV the chapter was supposed to be from. The language also felt a bit juvenile at times even though the characters faced very adult situations. It read a bit like a high school friend group rather than a group of 20-somethings trying to break free from a dystopian society. The romance, while cute at first, began to drag and become frustrating, especially between Eudoxia and Zeno. In no world can I imagine two young adults being so oblivious to that amount of sexual/romantic tension lmao. I do understand why the Alexander/Kallias romance was dragged out, though, as there is supposed to be a second book which I assume will highlight their relationship more.

I want to close by saying Alizeh did an amazing job with her representation. Not only did she include LGBTQ+ characters and BIPOC characters, but she did so in a way that felt very natural and not forced. As someone who identifies with both communities, I really appreciated being able to see a little glimpse of myself in her writing as it does not happen very often! I believe Alizeh should be very proud and I am eager to read the second book. It will only get better from here!!

[Fin Cattanach]

Easy to pick up, impossible to put down.

I’ve always struggled to be as prolific a reader as I am a writer. So when I was lucky enough to make it onto the team as an ARC reader for The Amber Sunburst, my reaction consisted of two initial and overwhelming thoughts:


I’m so excited.
What have I done.

There was an anxiety about the responsibility. A fear that I would meander through, fail to commit, and fall short of putting together a review in good time.

The worry came to nothing. In the end I finished reading in four days (four and a half if we’re being pedantic). A nearly unprecedented pace, and testament in itself to the inviting excellence of this novel.

The character writing is the backbone of this book, comfortably its greatest strength. With six protagonists, the challenges to pacing and depth were steep, yet this book meets and overcomes those hurdles. Everyone feels distinct, with their own goals, their own flaws, their own secrets. These in turn amass a complex web of character dynamics that feels effortlessly familiar yet consistently compelling throughout the story. The romance feels real, the friendships feel kind, and the drama feels heartbreakingly sincere. I found myself wanting more time with them by the end, one of the best feelings that a book can induce. Supported by a strong cast of side characters, the energy of the people who make up this world and narrative is wholesomely addictive.

And because they’re so compelling, the plot is too. The Amber Sunburst brings together a broad array of ideas, from post-apocalyptic tropes to classical Greek philosophy, and merges them seamlessly into a setting that feels as grounded as it does enigmatic. The events unfold at a pace that gives the right amount of breathing room for character development and exploration, without ever dragging severely. And the secrets, the teases of an incomplete picture, are placed perfectly to encourage speculation without delivering disappointment that not everything has an answer by the end, while the payoffs that do come to fruition do so with a depth of emotional momentum. There is promise for an incredible series here.

What stood out most of all to me was the way The Amber Sunburst is written. I could understand an argument that it feels a little inexperienced or falls short in the quality or complexity of its prose, but it’s not a sentiment that I personally agree with. This is a debut novel, of course there is room for growth. But the words on these pages feel sincere. The love with which this book was crafted shines through in every sentence. There is a raw enthusiasm and delight for the craft that is honest, and increasingly rare in modern literature. Alizeh shows remarkable potential and an incandescent joy for writing in this book, and that is something I find far more valuable than any masterclass of prose could ever be.

The Amber Sunburst is a superb book, easy and inviting to pick up, nearly impossible to set down. It showcases a brilliant degree of potential and kickstarts what is sure to be a deeply compelling and moving journey. It’s one of the most inspiring books I’ve read in a while, and I can’t wait for the day I get to read book two.

[oleander]

Got this book as an ARC to read in advance. I wrote another review on Storygraph with minor spoilers, but this one shouldn't have any! Here's my thoughts:
(There’s a TL;DR at the end if the review's too long for you!)

---
Right off the bat: this book is five stars. 10/10. No complaints. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book I enjoyed this much.

Full disclosure: It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book at all, actually. After being stuck in a reading slump for so long, I wasn’t sure when I’d ever pick up a book again that I would actually enjoy.

But this book? Well, it dug its nails into me and wouldn’t let go until I devoured it.

First off, I’d like to say that this book is NA (New Adult) rather than YA, and somehow that made all the difference. The characters were aged up instead of a standard sixteen, making them all the more real in their characteristics and decisions. A great way to go, in my opinion.
(EDIT: at the time of writing this review, the rating was NA, but the author has since changed it to YA. However, the characters were not aged down and thus changed nothing in the book so everything I said still stands!)

Speaking of, let’s talk about the characters. I, as a rule, enjoy a book best when I love the characters. And in this case, I really loved them. The different characters aren’t just copies of each other, but each feel like their own unique person with their own goals. The book was advertised as being similar to Six of Crows, and while I can see the similarity (a main cast of six), they are fundamentally different.

On the topic of characters, we also have relationships. Or, to be clear, we have ships.
The romance in this book was very engaging and definitely made me giggle more than once. It’s slow burn, with friends-to-lovers as well as a trope I like to call annoyances-to-lovers, aka where the characters flirt by constantly bickering and bantering like an old married couple (also sunshine x grumpy-esque). Guaranteed to have you kicking your feet with glee. It certainly didn’t feel like the relationships were rushed, and the characters had undeniable chemistry, which I loved. I’m not a fan of a lot of typical fantasy romances, but this book executed it in a way that I absolutely adored. A+

As for the pacing of the book, I felt it wasn’t too rushed—most books feel like there always has to be one crazy plot thing happening after another, which is fine if you’re a fan of that, but this book felt like it flowed nicely at a medium pace while also keeping me hooked along with the plot. It may be a little ‘slow’ compared to some others, but it allowed time to get to know the characters and their relationships, which to me was just right. If you’re willing to wait, the book will pick up and totally pay off! The ending was something that I could already guess was coming but still surprised me in ways and definitely has me anxiously awaiting the sequel.

One more thing I’d like to mention—the verb style of this book was written in present tense. A style I personally don’t like. I’m a past tense person, most of the time. Somehow, it just makes more sense to me. The Amber Sunburst, however, proved to be an exception. The writing style made it feel more in the moment, and I ended up not even noticing the difference.

I think I’ve said all I wanted to say, so I’ll just end this with saying if you’re looking for a book that makes you fall in love with the characters and keeps you up thinking about it for days afterward, desperately in need of telling someone about it…this is for you!
---

TL;DR: Great book! Kept me hooked from the very beginning, went at a pace that wasn’t too fast but rather a refreshing medium. The cast of characters was diverse, and each of them were fleshed out and unique, which was really good to see. The worldbuilding was well done and really intriguing, and the romance was excellent! I loved everything about this book and need the sequel ASAP.

[amy]

The Amber Sunburst is a debut fantasy novel set in a futuristic utopia built on a lie and stylised around Plato's Republic. Alexander washes up on shore of the Republic and is subsequently invited to join the Academy, a school which trains the next generation of the government, where no one truly knows where he's from. All Alexander knows is that he needs to find a way to leave before they discover his true identity, and before he's forced to participate in the Trials, a competition set to decide the hierarchy of leadership. Along the way, he makes friends who help him with his task and falls in love with a boy who has impenetrable walls.

This novel has a very interesting premise and concept, and I think it was executed well! The setting felt very reminiscent of Greek mythology and it was genuinely very cool to see ancient buildings and architecture blend with the futuristic technology! I really appreciate the author's world building and efforts to make the story easy to understand and digest. However, I almost felt detached from the story.

The biggest thing I grew to love throughout this story was the characters! The main six were well-developed and felt distinct. I was particularly drawn to Alexander and Kallias! Alexander was very charming but I also loved the more dangerous edge to him that was lying underneath. Additionally, Kallias was mysterious throughout the whole book, and even when the characters were getting to know him better, it was clear that there was something important being held back. I would've loved a little more development between the other characters, mainly Zeno and Lazarus. I'm very much looking forward to book 2 and being able to see more of these characters. The thing that let me down with the writing of the characters was that they felt quite juvenile for their age and, particularly with Ophelia, it felt like they became friends a little too easily. I also would've liked the characters to be slightly more introspective rather than the storytelling relying on a lot of dialogue.

However, knowing that this book was entirely self-published, with no agents or editors, I am incredibly impressed with how polished this book was overall! There were a couple of things I felt could be a little more smooth or even more polished but I know that I could never write anything like this by myself and publish it so I'm not holding it against the book too much lol and despite some of the nitpicking issues I have with it, I was still so invested in this story and I literally couldn't put it down once I reached the halfway mark as it was so addictive!

Overall, this was a very fun novel that was easy to read and hard to put down! I'm super intrigued to read book 2 and see what happens to these characters and I would definitely recommend this to fans of YA, and those who love Greek mythology and stories with a competition.

Thank you so much to Alizeh Abulail for giving me the chance to read this book early in exchange for an honest review!

[Sage]

The Amber Sunburst by Alizeh Abulail — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I LOVEDDD THIS BOOK. 😭💛

Thank you so much to Alizeh Abulail for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Amber Sunburst completely pulled me into Kallipolis, a supposedly perfect society built around the principles of Plato’s Republic. When Alexander washes up on its shores, he pretends to be a new Academy student while trying to figure out how to escape. But the more he learns about Kallipolis, the more he—and the other characters—start to realize that this “utopia” is built on a LOT of lies.

I was a little intimidated going in because this world is SO complex, but Alizeh does an incredible job with the world-building. She gives you exactly what you need when you need it, letting the pieces of Kallipolis slowly fall into place. And looking back, SO MANY little details and seemingly insignificant moments have a purpose. There were several times I finished a chapter and thought, “WAIT. That explains THAT.” 👀 I already want to reread this just to catch everything I missed the first time.

But honestly? The characters were my favorite part.
I absolutely adored Ophelia and Eudoxia, and Eudoxia and her little sister were SO SWEET. 🥹 I also loved seeing how the friendships developed throughout the story and how the characters slowly became a found family in a society that tries to control even those relationships.

And Lazarus… 😭

I did NOT like him at first. 😬 But by the end, I wanted to give this poor boy the biggest hug. His chapters hit me HARD. His anxiety, exhaustion, desperation, and feeling of being completely trapped made his character arc one of the most emotionally devastating parts of the book for me.

And Alexander and Kallias??? HELLO???? I was ready to throw my phone during some of their scenes. Their dynamic was SO GOOD.

One of the biggest themes that stuck with me was the idea of being trapped in a role that doesn't feel like yours—even when you're constantly being told you're free. The characters are all dealing with that in different ways, and I loved how their individual struggles intertwined with the larger story.

This book is character-driven, philosophical, political, queer, emotional, and full of mystery and rebellion. And that ENDING??? Absolutely RUDE. (Affectionate.) 😭

This is Alizeh Abulail's DEBUT, y'all. The amount of depth in the world-building, characterization, themes, and foreshadowing is genuinely incredible. I finished this book feeling like I needed to stare at a wall for a while and process everything.

I am already desperate for the next installment. I have SO MANY QUESTIONS and theories, and I need to know what happens next. 😭

Basically: I’m a mess, I loved this book, and I cannot wait to go back to Kallipolis.

If you like Ancient Greece-inspired worlds, dystopian/post-apocalyptic fantasy, political intrigue, found family, queer characters, complex world-building, and stories that make you question what “freedom” actually means—READ THIS. 💛📚✨

#TheAmberSunburst #AlizehAbulail #FantasyBooks #QueerFantasy #Bookstagram

[Carter Grace]

Note: This book was given to me as an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

So… this was my perfect book. I’m serious. The author said it’s hunger games X six of crows X Percy Jackson, and she is absolutely spot on. But it’s also like uniquely its own thing which is what made me like it so much.

The writing is witty and fast paced and very interior (it’s in third person but you are absolutely in these characters heads the entire time). For some people that kind of writing is not for them so if you’re not someone who enjoys that kind of style I would read a sample before buying the book. It is a very unique style that is my absolute cop of tea though, so I was feinding.

The characters are deep. Like, so deep I felt like I could be friends with them. They are distinctly human in they they have genuine flaws, and all of them really do, but they still manage to be insanely loveable. ANd the flaws don’t feel forced you know? They feel like exactly what the characters past and present would mould them into.

There were some moments that I yearned for more context, but this is a book one of a series so I think that it’s coming… you can only fit so much into one book, and this one absolutely created intrigue and so much potential for the world that the next one will explore.

There are spoilers from this point so read at your own peril:
This book made me an emotional wreck. Like, truly a wreck. I went in not knowing it would be the first on the series so as I went along and reached around 80% I was like… what’s gonna happen here?? And then I was absolutely not ready for what was going to happen.

It’s hard to pick a fav character they are all so well developed and deep and uniquely human in a way i haven’t seen a book capture before. But if I had to choose, my favorite would be Kallias. And the incredible part of that is that we don’t get his POV until the very last ch. The author managed to make him just as deep and livrable as the other five POV characters without actually giving him a POV until the end.

I am a sucker for an inevitable twist, and that’s what this was. You know for at least half the book that something bad is going to happen but you don’t know when and the dread just collects until it does happen and it’s even sadder than if you weren’t expecting it. It’s a clever way to engage an audience… they hope nothing bad happens and even though they know it will. It kind of reminds me of hadestoen in that way.

Anyways this is too long but I have a million more things to say… I am so excited to make my friends read this so I can talk to them about it bc I NEED to have a six hour analysis and crying session with my book besties. This is my first ARC (and my first written review on goodreads) so I hope that I did what I’m supposed to! This was such a good experience and I will def be signing up for more ARCs tho I doubt they will beat this one!

[Cate Murray]

‘And, oh, if only she wanted to rage at them, yell that she would have fallen into the flames and laughed as she burned, as long as she wasn’t burning alone.’

First of all, I want to say a very big thank you to Alizeh Abulail, the author of ‘The Amber Sunburst’ for welcoming me into the ARC team for this beautiful little odyssey. It’s been such a pleasure to meet so many amazing people through this book!

‘The Amber Sunburst’ is set in a world made up of Plato’s greatest dreams - Kallipolis. We meet Alexander, stumbling into this perfect world and realising that something isn’t quite right. I was hooked in by the lure of the ancient world lore and the promise of found family (what can I say, I’m a sucker for a found family trope) and it certainly delivered.

It’s a very unique concept, mixing old with new and utilising the current destruction of our world as a basis for this new paradise. We never see any of Alexander’s world as we, like the crew, are stuck in this Republic and so the outside world is a mystery to us which only makes it more enticing. With ‘Hunger Games’ esq like trials and silent Priestesses, there’s so much to dive into in this book. A lot is left unsaid which I always enjoy in a fantasy novel as it keeps you turning the page.

The characters were mostly strong, Kallias and Alexander leading the troupe for me. They felt the most developed and most individual, whereas a few other characters melded into one another. I enjoyed the multi-POV and the absence of Kallias’ POV, adding to his mystery. The found family trope was well down and was often, at times, very sweet.

There were lots of things going on at once and whilst each individual thread made sense, I felt that the plot struggled to tie everything together. This could be down to this being book one of a series but it did leaving me wondering about the necessity of some plot points. The moments in the library and diving into Alexander and Kallias’ past were the highlights but I wanted to see more with Eudoxia’s story, which may be to come in book two. Overall, it felt like the stakes were very low until they were suddenly very high.

However, it’s a really good new fantasy book, with easy dialogue and moments that will have you cackling. If you love to get your teeth into characters, there’s 7 incredibly messed up and beautifully ones in this book just waiting for you. There’s amazing POC and queer rep throughout the book (seriously, it’s a gold mine) which I feel the fantasy genre is severely lacking right now, so go give this book some hype!!

I look forward to the second book in this series! ‘The Amber Sunburst’ is out on the 31st of August and will be available on Amazon and Apple Books so please go and support this amazing author! Thank you again to Alizeh for letting me read and review this lovely book!!

[Clara Bellot]

Wow! This book was so good! If you are a fan of the queer love story in the Song of Achilles, the diverse and well written multiple POV of Six of Crows, the high stakes competitive nature of the Hunger Games, the classical influence of Percy Jackson, the seclusion and academia with a dark twist of The Princess Academy, or the vibes of Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, then this is the book for you.

As a queer person, having stories with casual queer representation is so important and the love stories in this book feel so natural and are so endearing (I am quite partial to the witty banter in love stories which is done very well in this book).

Multiple POV is a difficult undertaking. Whenever I have read multiple POV books before, there is always inevitably one character that I just could not care less about their inner monologue—not so with The Amber Sunburst. Every character felt authentic, well fleshed out with a distinct voice and motivations, and I cared deeply about what happened to them.

While I stand by the high stakes comment regarding its similarity to the Hunger Games, I will admit that my biggest criticism of the book is that the Trials seem to take a back seat to much of the other action. They are talked up throughout the book and yet each of the trials felt a little underwhelming when it arrived. This was more than made up for (for me at least) because I am generally more drawn to character driven stories, less interested in the action aspects, but even I was left wishing they took up a little more of the book. All that to say, they stakes are still high in many different ways, with the dynamic characters and environment that they are put in, the pressure is on all the time, not just during the trials.

A society based on Plato’s Republic with references to Ancient Greek society is a unique and contrasting format to the countless stories that are centered around Greek Mythology (no hate to those stories, I love them too, but it is a refreshing difference!) There are secrets upon secrets in the Academy and the tightly woven web of deception and mystery will keep any reader guessing.

This book was such a good time. I enjoyed reading it and getting invested in the characters lives and stories. I was certainly left wanting more and needing to find out what happened next. If any of what I said above sounds like your cup of tea I would definitely recommend this book!

I wanted to extend a huge thank you to Alizeh for selecting me and trusting me to be on her ARC team. It has been such an incredible and exciting process to be a part of.

[Sam]

Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an e-ARC of The Amber Sunburst in exchange for my honest review! And happy release day! ☀️

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the story was so unique and unlike anything I’ve read in quite some time. I really loved the characters and the banter between them was so funny and sweet. I especially enjoyed the found family trope and watching them become such good friends and grow into people they could truly depend on and trust. I also loved just how queer and gay and adorable everyone was! It felt like such a natural part of who these characters were without needing to be the main focus of the story. The writing was also really good and pulled me in I also thought the pacing was really well done. Nothing felt super rushed and we actually got time to get to know these characters and the world.

I ended up giving this 3.5 stars mostly because there were a few things that held it back for me. At the very beginning, I was pretty confused about the setting and time period and I had a hard time picturing what everything looked like. Once I got further into the book I started to understand the world more and was able to put everything together but those first few chapters were definitely a little confusing.

I also think there may have been a few too many POVs. I love Ophelia and Lazarus but I don’t necessarily think the story needed their perspectives. I actually think leaving out some of those POVs could have made certain parts of the story less predictable and kept a little more mystery especially around the ending. My other small complaint was that there were quite a few moments where characters would basically say “I don’t know why I trust them but I do” or “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I do.” I would have preferred to see those feelings shown a little more rather than being directly told. There were already moments where I could understand why the characters were starting to trust or care about each other so I didn’t always need it spelled out for me.

But Overall I really enjoyed this story. It was unique, fun, well-written, and I’m very curious to see where everything goes after the craziness of that ending! I definitely want to read the second book and see what happens with these characters.
I’m also really curious to eventually buy the finished version and reread it. The author let ARC readers know that some changes were made based on early feedback and from what was shared I think some of those changes may address a few of the things I struggled with. So I’d love to see if a reread of the finished version might even bump up my rating!

[Pastelsparkles]

Thank you so much to Alizeh Abulail for providing me an eARC as part of the ARC team, in exchange for an honest review.

Extraordinarily ambitious book. For a debut novelist, self publishing, I think it should be commended that there was an attempt at all to make a multi-POV story.

I feel like the author wasn’t confident at times that the audience would understand/accept their unique nomenclature. There were paragraphs like ‘Oh Forms!’ and then the main character would say something like ‘Are Plato's prophecies their version of oh my god?’
There are much more elegant ways of feeding this information to the reader. It’s not too hard for a reader to just accept, so it could have gone without explanation as well.

The pacing was very slow for a YA novel. There were some bloated, overwritten sentences that halted the pace of the story, almost as if word count mattered more than telling the story.
I also felt like the characters, despite having distinguishing character traits, didn’t have differing voices, so it often made it difficult to remember whose POV I was in if I put the book down in the middle of a chapter.

This is the first book in a series and I think if the book was a single POV of Alexander, letting the other characters be full side characters, it would make the scope much more manageable for both author and reader. It means that the character can be properly fleshed out without begging for space between characters that are equally not as well-rounded.

The writing felt closer to Middle Grade than YA, but there would be a lot of content flags that make the story better suited to YA. It makes it hard to know who to recommend this to as I feel those who read YA would find the prose too simple but Middle Grade might be shocked by some language and some content.

The romance was very cute, I also liked how quickly it started. It was the highlight of the book for me!

I would like to see more story regarding the wars and what the world endured to bring us to this world-state, as it doesn’t seem plausible that there would be nuclear winters and multiple world destroying wars and seemingly not impact the population of any of the states. But maybe there just wasn’t the space to flesh this out in the first book because there was so much to establish in the current worldstate.

A comparable book to what was attempted here is the Will of the Many, so if this book appealed to you, I think that you might have a good time with that.
It has also been compared to the Hunger Games in a broader sense.