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Opal Charm #2
Hope in Nautical Dusk
The Gift of Twilight flourishes within Opal Charm as winter descends on Dewdrop. Life was already rough before, but Opal’s got new obstacles to face – getting into high school, bringing her brother back home, and training to protect Athre and Earth from Samael, the mysterious overlord who seeks to rule all, and put an end to her and the Charm lineage. The balance between harsh truths and sweet lies is more fragile than ever.
Yet, as winter rolls on, the balance begins to break as a new threat emerges. Memories Opal once trusted are disintegrating her friendships, and lies are clouding her Path of Dawn and Dusk. Opal must seek the truth while protecting those close to her, no matter how painful it may be.
This is a story about what it means to have hope in the face of despair.
Yet, as winter rolls on, the balance begins to break as a new threat emerges. Memories Opal once trusted are disintegrating her friendships, and lies are clouding her Path of Dawn and Dusk. Opal must seek the truth while protecting those close to her, no matter how painful it may be.
This is a story about what it means to have hope in the face of despair.
410 pages, Paperback
Published March 19, 2017
1 person is currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Miri Castor
7 books32 followersMiri Castor is the author of Opal Charm: The Path to Dawn. She spent many recesses in middle school writing fantasy stories, with Opal Charm being one of many. She has written for Black Girl Magic Literary Magazine and was featured as a Spotlight New Author in 2016.
Now attending a university on the East Coast, she studies biochemistry and will receive her B.S. in 2016. She enjoys playing video games, attending music concerts, and strolling through the City.
Now attending a university on the East Coast, she studies biochemistry and will receive her B.S. in 2016. She enjoys playing video games, attending music concerts, and strolling through the City.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 26, 2017
Really I'd give this a 4.5 star rating.
I need to mention that I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I also need to mention that I did not read the first book in the series, however I was able to follow along without much confusion.
Opal is everything I want in a protagonist. First off I have to say that it's so nice to see a teenage protagonist actually act like a teenager. Few teenagers would jump at the idea of going off to fight a bad guy from another world and Opal's unease with her situation makes her a thousand times more realistic.
The world building in this one is great! Being an author myself I know how difficult it can be to create a complete world and portray it in a way that doesn't come off as "telling" rather than "showing", Castor does exactly that. Even though I had not read the first book, I found myself easily able to picture and understand JAEL.
I LOVED the diversity in the characters! It's great to see more diversity in characters, with Opal being bisexual and even an asexual character. This is something that is really lacking in fiction and I was pleasantly surprised to see it.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy, magic, and kick ass women protagonists!
I need to mention that I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I also need to mention that I did not read the first book in the series, however I was able to follow along without much confusion.
Opal is everything I want in a protagonist. First off I have to say that it's so nice to see a teenage protagonist actually act like a teenager. Few teenagers would jump at the idea of going off to fight a bad guy from another world and Opal's unease with her situation makes her a thousand times more realistic.
The world building in this one is great! Being an author myself I know how difficult it can be to create a complete world and portray it in a way that doesn't come off as "telling" rather than "showing", Castor does exactly that. Even though I had not read the first book, I found myself easily able to picture and understand JAEL.
I LOVED the diversity in the characters! It's great to see more diversity in characters, with Opal being bisexual and even an asexual character. This is something that is really lacking in fiction and I was pleasantly surprised to see it.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy, magic, and kick ass women protagonists!
April 22, 2017
One of the things I love about twitter is that you can yell at your authors for making you sad, and for the books being great. I have done this. And now.... now I have to review this. Somehow.
Read my full review here!
Read my full review here!
May 30, 2017
Opal Charm is back for new adventures in book two with her friends Adaze and Aaron by her side. After big battle with Samael, things are finally starting to settle down. Opal is still continuing to work with JAEL in order to protect her universe while also learning to control her newfound powers of “twilight”. We see a more confident opal, who is still unsure at times, but is trying to mend her relationship with her parents and friends.
Hope in Nautical Dusk gives its readers a more in-depth look at the characters we know and love while also introducing new people as well. I loved the expansion of the members of JAEL backgrounds and seeing more of Opal’s home life and how she interacts with her family. Through these encounters I learned more about each character’s back story, gained a better idea of where they came from, and why they choose to be a part of JAEL.
On top of the character expansion, readers also get a taste of more world building as Opal and her friends travel to new zones in Athre. Like Earth, Athre is filled with many lands and various types of people. I felt like a gained a better grasp on Athre terms and the types of people as opposed to book one. Concepts were explained a bit clearer and it was easier for me to distinguish which was which.
As the plot continues, we see Opal develop even further as she is tested through various obstacles. Lots of things transgress in this novel and it’s filled with many ups and downs (I don’t want to spoil the book for you, so I’ll stop here). Like with book one, I appreciated all the ethnic diversity and the inclusion of LGBTQ characters.
I’ll definitely be continuing with this series and looking forward to what adventures Opal will take us on next!
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Rich In Variety Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Hope in Nautical Dusk gives its readers a more in-depth look at the characters we know and love while also introducing new people as well. I loved the expansion of the members of JAEL backgrounds and seeing more of Opal’s home life and how she interacts with her family. Through these encounters I learned more about each character’s back story, gained a better idea of where they came from, and why they choose to be a part of JAEL.
On top of the character expansion, readers also get a taste of more world building as Opal and her friends travel to new zones in Athre. Like Earth, Athre is filled with many lands and various types of people. I felt like a gained a better grasp on Athre terms and the types of people as opposed to book one. Concepts were explained a bit clearer and it was easier for me to distinguish which was which.
As the plot continues, we see Opal develop even further as she is tested through various obstacles. Lots of things transgress in this novel and it’s filled with many ups and downs (I don’t want to spoil the book for you, so I’ll stop here). Like with book one, I appreciated all the ethnic diversity and the inclusion of LGBTQ characters.
I’ll definitely be continuing with this series and looking forward to what adventures Opal will take us on next!
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Rich In Variety Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 25, 2017
I was very excited when Miri Castor announced the release of Hope in Nautical Dusk and pre-ordered mine. I was not disappointed in the least. It holds a much quicker pacing than The Path to Dawn did and Opal continues to grow into a stronger character who does, at times, suffer from feeling of self doubt. But, in all truth, that should be understandable when you go from being a normal teenager to suddenly having the weight of lives on your shoulders. I do look forward to seeing her continue to grow in the next book.
So much happens that is sad, but I don't want to reveal any spoilers here. Let me just say you might find yourself trying not to cry. I can say, that I still love Evron and his complete nervousness. He's still one of my favorites and I look forward to seeing how he progresses as well. Especially in his interactions with Opal.
In this book, Opal begins to discover more about herself and I think that's very important. And, while I might be rooting one way for her heart, I won't be horribly upset if it goes somewhere else. I think Miri Castor is doing a very good job in writing the turmoil going through Opal right now. I will sit by and eagerly await the next book, but no pressure on the author.
So much happens that is sad, but I don't want to reveal any spoilers here. Let me just say you might find yourself trying not to cry. I can say, that I still love Evron and his complete nervousness. He's still one of my favorites and I look forward to seeing how he progresses as well. Especially in his interactions with Opal.
In this book, Opal begins to discover more about herself and I think that's very important. And, while I might be rooting one way for her heart, I won't be horribly upset if it goes somewhere else. I think Miri Castor is doing a very good job in writing the turmoil going through Opal right now. I will sit by and eagerly await the next book, but no pressure on the author.
July 26, 2017
Excellent world-building with strong characters. The plot was affecting and well drawn. Overall a good piece of urban fantasy
April 21, 2017
4.5/5 stars
Review originally posted on my blog
https://wocreads.wordpress.com/2017/0...
I really enjoyed Opal Charm: The Path to Dawn, which I reviewed here (and also interviewed author Miri Castor) and so I was happy to return to Dewdrop and reconnect with Opal. We find her still very much a reluctant hero, dreading going back to JAEL training and anxious about her ability to save Athre from the khanship of Samael Serkhan. Which, you know, is a lot to put on the shoulders of one eighth-grader.
The world of Athre that we were introduced to in the first book gets a much larger place in Hope in Nautical Dusk. I definitely appreciated the world-building and learning more about how the powers work since that was teased at a lot in Path to Dawn. This, as well as character development, for me is why I invest in fantasy series. Even more than plot, I really like to learn the details of the worlds SFF authors create. And yes you guessed it, I want to learn even more in book 3 (it’s going to be a 4 book series).
What I also liked was the strong focus on friendship, between Opal, Anza and Aaron but also with their Athrenian friends Evron and Adaeze. And it’s fantastic to see more bisexual rep, as Opal figures out she’s crushing on girls and boys and her friends are very supportive about it.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but I do want to warn you that reading this one was tough emotionally and you’ll want to hold onto the Hope part. But that’s the great thing, Miri gets you so invested in her characters. I’m glad the journey isn’t over and there will be another book about Opal and her Path of Dawn and Dusk.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-version of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted on my blog
https://wocreads.wordpress.com/2017/0...
I really enjoyed Opal Charm: The Path to Dawn, which I reviewed here (and also interviewed author Miri Castor) and so I was happy to return to Dewdrop and reconnect with Opal. We find her still very much a reluctant hero, dreading going back to JAEL training and anxious about her ability to save Athre from the khanship of Samael Serkhan. Which, you know, is a lot to put on the shoulders of one eighth-grader.
The world of Athre that we were introduced to in the first book gets a much larger place in Hope in Nautical Dusk. I definitely appreciated the world-building and learning more about how the powers work since that was teased at a lot in Path to Dawn. This, as well as character development, for me is why I invest in fantasy series. Even more than plot, I really like to learn the details of the worlds SFF authors create. And yes you guessed it, I want to learn even more in book 3 (it’s going to be a 4 book series).
What I also liked was the strong focus on friendship, between Opal, Anza and Aaron but also with their Athrenian friends Evron and Adaeze. And it’s fantastic to see more bisexual rep, as Opal figures out she’s crushing on girls and boys and her friends are very supportive about it.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but I do want to warn you that reading this one was tough emotionally and you’ll want to hold onto the Hope part. But that’s the great thing, Miri gets you so invested in her characters. I’m glad the journey isn’t over and there will be another book about Opal and her Path of Dawn and Dusk.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-version of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews