Across the Darkling Sea

by K. Ferrin

Magic is forbidden in Brielle, but that never stopped Evelyn. Until Now. Because Evelyn has discovered she is magic, and now she is running for her life. Her only hope is on an island cloaked in shadow, an island of dark magic and even darker beasts. The island warlocks call home.

Evelyn's friends have turned against her, her own mother tried to kill her, and the place she calls home has banished her. Hidden away in the belly of a riverboat, a stowaway, her journey begins.

How far would you go to break the curse that destroyed your family?



This was an amazing, fast read with very rich character development. The author brings a sense of tension to life in this book. Cant wait for the next one!!!

Very cool concept. It's like nothing I've ever read before.

I adored this.

Ferrin writes the type of diverse books that I crave.

Changelings...warlocks...magic.... This is a fantasy book worth reading!

Scroll up and grab a copy today!

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult, Young Adult Fantasy

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2016

About the author

K. Ferrin spends her days surrounded by engineers, technology, and humming machinery, but her evenings are steeped in magic, myth, and adventure. She writes fantasy, loves gardening, and eats way too much pie. She lives at the foot of the Colorado Rockies with her husband and two pooches.

Her novels include the stand alone YA fantasy novel Magicless, as well as Across the Darkling Sea, and A Dying Land, the first two books of a series. You can find her online at www.kferrin.com.

Reviews

[murphy ✌ (daydreamofalife) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 / 5

So! First off, I've gotta be completely honest and say that this book was not amazing. But, considering just how not-amazing it was, I can't say that I feel too let down or disappointed by it.
Why? Because I think that there is an unimaginable amount of potential with both this book and the author.

The Good - The the plot itself was refreshingly original, I really can't recall reading anything else like it. The writing was very good! I don't think I ever had to reread passages because they didn't make sense, and overall it felt really smooth. Also, the descriptions of magic and magical creatures were beautifully written and I found myself intrigued with the world itself.

The Bad - This book would've benefited greatly from more filler - more of everything, really. We hardly had any time at all to get to know characters or settings before they were whisked away, and at times it was frustrating. The ending was also very abrupt (it p much ends mid-scene) and if I hadn't known there was going to be a sequel, I would've definitely 1-starred it.

The Meh - The pace was too quick and as such the book suffered from a fair bit of info-dumping (though to be honest it wasn't as cringe-worthy and boring as most info-dumps I've seen, hence the meh.)

Overall, this book was hard to rate and review because while I can see the potential, as previously stated, it's not amazing.



EDIT: I've received a couple of messages about this review and yes, I am now aware that this book is part of a serial series wherein each book is only 150-ish pages. Thanks for the information, y'all! With that info I've decided that I'm probably going to wait until a few of these books are published before continuing to read them. I'm not particularly fond of short books in general unless I'm really captured by the writing, and while the writing in this book is good, it's not breathtaking.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot believe that I'm the first one to review this book! I feel kind of privileged

Solid 4 star rating for me. This is a new YA fantasy series centered around a girl named Ling. She lives in a town were magic is forbidden, even though other towns in this world do have magic. In the first few pages of the book, she realizes that she isn't exactly what she thinks she is. She is actually a changeling - an empty shell who has taken the place of a real person. Ling has all this person's memories and personality, but is both literally and figuratively empty. She has to flee because all the townspeople want to kill her so the real person can come back. Ling decides to find the warlock who created her to undo what he did. This story is about her journey from her town that has no magic to the island where all magical creatures live, which is across the Darkling Sea.

This book had some very interesting worlds! I loved the description of these floating cities, the waterlogged marshes, the cobblestone streets of Marique that are made from malachite, etc. The way that the author described the slums, even down to the weird mix of smells, was probably my favorite parts of the book. I also loved that the author didn't include any romance! There was a point in the book that I thought the inevitable YA romance was coming, but then the main character left. Definitely refreshing!

My biggest complaint comes from personal preference. I love reading YA series (what exactly is the plural for series?). So much so that it is rare for me to read a stand alone book. But, I can't stand it when a series is just a long book split into thirds. I like my books to have a beginning, middle and end. I like them to have a plot. I'm not a huge fan of series that is one plot split into different parts. This book was definitely like that. It ends like the end of an ordinary chapter would! It wasn't even a huge cliffhanger ending either. It just ended. I was just hoping for a little bit more.

Overall, this was a pretty good book and I'll definitely be reading the others in the series.

[Beatrice in Bookland · Rating 1 out of 5]

*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

DNF @ 22%

I didn't care for the protagonist or the plot, I really don't want to force myself to finish a book I'm not into ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(at least it has "darkling" in the tile)

[Floryie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time, both the cover and the blurb had my attention. I was eager to try out the author and I think that's why I glossed over the part where it is given that it's a serial series. After finishing the book when I was moaning the fact that it was too short, I realised my mistake. Would this have changed my decision to read this book? Heck no!

Let me start with saying what I loved about the book. The plot is adventurous while the pacing varies. It ebbs and flows like the water. The starting was a bit slow but intriguing enough with Brielle and her situation. After she started her voyage the pace picked up and then slowed down a tiny bit at the end. But I didn't have much trouble being invested in the tale.

The world created by the author is completely different and special. I loved the vivid description of the races and the cultures of the world. The language is rich and easy to understand. The characters are various and important to the story in their roles. Brielle/Ling is strong in her role. She bends with the winds of her fate. I think she has to her than what has been revealed in the book. At the same time it is easy to place myself in her place. She is someone who I can relate to easily!

Coming to the things I didn't care for, first the description was kind of repetitive at times and some words were similar so I was confused at times. Though there are characters enough to enrich the world and the tale, they weren't in the spotlight much. Hence I felt cheated in not getting to know them. I hope this changes in the sequel.

Closing on that note, I want to say that the book is engrossing in its own right and I can't wait to read the sequels. I want to how it all plays out!

I received a copy for reviewing purposes. This doesn't impact my review in any way.

My one line review : A refreshingly unique fantasy tale.

My rating : 4/5

My reread factor : 3.5/5

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Across The Darkling Sea, and several years ago, I would have even given it a 5/5 stars. But, although it was enjoyable, I found it kind of odd that the book was split into three separate books. The ending wasn't overly abrupt, but I felt like the story didn't make the full arch, if that makes sense. You know, how at the end of the story everything starts moving faster and questions are being answered? That just didn't happen. The middle section moved the quickest for me and was the most enjoyable. I found myself having difficulties getting into the beginning, and the end started to bog down with pointless details and limited action or character development.

The book could have really benefited from a little more editing. And maybe even more time with the side characters? I felt like as soon as we were introduced to several characters, we never saw them again. And maybe they'll come back?

I think I'll continue, because the world feels magical, and I'm hopeful that I'll see some of my favorite characters again.

** I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Elaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is so different from the norm . Fantasy with a decided twist. The main character is not your usual ‘save the world’ personality, and that intrigued me no end. How do you weave a tale around someone who cannot remember herself (or what caused it) on a daily basis? I had to find out! Definitely recommend this to readers who love something different when it comes to Fantasy!

[anie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received from Xpresso book tours in exchange for honest review

This book is really something special and totally unique. I don't think I've ever read something like this. :)

So Evelyn lives in Brielle, only place in this world, that forbids magic. That doesn't stop her though. Every time she travels with her father she gets little bit of magic, until she gets special seed. She plants it carefully and on the day we meet her, goes to check it. But something is wrong, the raft she made for it is broken and the seed gone. Before she knows it, she is in the middle of the city, her mother trying to kill her and friends abandoning her. Town witch saves her and explain, she's been living the same day over and over. because she is changeling. Made of magic and place instead of the real girl. She decides, that she will find the warlock who did this to her. Every day she has to write everything that happen in a special book, because in the morning she knows nothing.

The world is really interesting, full of magic and mystery. The story has so much potential and I hope that there will be next book. :)

Not a fan of ending though, it was a bit to abrupt. I understand that, this is the format of the book, but I just want to read more... like now. :)

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn lives in a small town where magic is illegal and this makes her very curious about it so one day she sneaks a little bit of magic into the town. When she is caught the whole town including her mom and dad want to kill her. She is rescued by the witch in their town. The witch tells Evelyn a story about a man coming to town a long time ago that used his magic on her and explains to Evelyn who she really is and about the curse this man placed upon her and her family.

So with everyone wanting to kill her Evelyn or now Ling as she wants to be called and with nowhere to go decides to set out to find this man and get him to remove this curse or for a way to break it. On her journey Ling meets some good people and some not so good people and some downright mean and awful people who take advantage of her in more ways than one.

Ling has to cross the Darkling Sea to reach her destination so she stows away on ships but she finally finds a captain that is willing to help her out and give her a ride on her ship across the Darkling Sea. Ling finds a few people on this ship willing to help her out but she must be very careful because some of these people may not be what they seem or portraying and may just stab her in the back. After all of her harrowing experiences she has no idea who to trust.

Across the Darkling Sea has been an amazing journey. I loved their journey across the Darkling Sea it was magical and so awesome. I would like to have seen Ling use her magic on her own but maybe we will see her come into her magic in future books. Or at least I hope she has magic and she doesn’t know how to use it yet maybe.

If you like to read magical books then I think you would truly enjoy Across the Darkling Sea. Come join Ling on her journey Across the Darkling Sea.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Already, from the get-go, this book is a 3/5 for me. Let me explain why. Let’s start with the positives, shall we?

Evelyn

The main character’s name is Evelyn. She lives in the boring, olds town named Meuse, wherein magic, all kinds of it, is outlawed and forbidden. And as we progress to read this book, we find out that Evelyn is actually a changeling; a being that was made instead of created. What’s even more surprising is that Evelyn was made in the likeness of the real Evelyn—the one who sleeps in the attic of her friend, Witch. Evelyn then realises that she isn’t a real human being, unable to cry, weep, feel hunger and thirst, sleep, etc. This was proven true when Evelyn’s mother set out to capture her and torture her in front of the townspeople, but luckily she escaped because of Witch. She then sets out to change her name to Ling, once she realises she isn’t exactly who she thinks she is. And if those aren’t that surprising to you, here’s her catch: She can’t remember yesterday.

Yes, she has “memories” of her as Evelyn with her family and friends in Meuse, but she cannot remember the day before. And that is why, in her escape out of Meuse, Witch gave her a grimoire; a journal wherein she will never run out of pages nor ink, and would always stay with her no matter what. There she can record the day’s events for the Evelyn of tomorrow to read and glean advice from.

The reason this book was even great was because of Evelyn/Ling’s character. She isn’t your typical female badass heroine who will kill anyone in the moment’s notice. Nor is she a cunning princess out to extract secrets from kings and queens.

Ling was a normal girl until she realised that she wasn’t, and her first thought wasn’t to give up, nor to pretend the problem didn’t exist. After she discovered who she really is, the first thought she had was to find the warlock who made her, and force him to unmake her because the real Evelyn doesn’t deserve to be cast into eternal sleep in Witch’s attic. She set out on a journey across the Darkling Sea, meeting few friends and enemies along the way. Still, no matter what obstacle was thrown at her, her goal just kept on getting clearer and clearer: find the warlock, and then be unmade. As scary as that is to Ling, she realises that it’s the right thing to do, and that’s what makes her a heroine worth rooting for. A self-sacrificing and determined one.

Now, onto the negatives.

Setting

The plot was too… it’s kind of hard to describe. It was as if it wasn’t as fleshed out as it should be. The descriptions and the world building didn’t have that oomph that would drive the story forward. If it wasn’t for Evelyn/Ling’s character, I would be bored out of my mind of how boring the journey seemed. Aside from Evelyn, the only interesting piece was the both she rode to the Dreggs, where the warlock who made her was rumoured to be in.

Romance

Romance in this story was unclear. She definitely met a man that could potentially be her love interest, but then it was left alone abruptly, which led me to believe that maybe Evelyn won’t have a love interest?

Overall Feel

The book itself, the story, wasn’t anything special. I have read tons of books that were based on sailing across seas and oceans, and accomplishing a mission. But this book wasn’t that… exciting enough? To be called a quest or an admirable journey. Yes the main character was going through a tough time, and there was beautiful character development, but I couldn’t help but feel that Evelyn deserved a better story or telling of her journey.

I received a digital copy of this eBook for free from Reading Deals in exchange for my honest thoughts and feelings on this book.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was first posted on my blog KimSlr - bookish

When I applied to be part of this blogtour I honestly did not know what to expect.
The synopsis sounded very interesting, which is why I was interested in participating but I hadn't heard of Ferris before, so I wasn't sure how it'd turn out.
To say I'm happy I got the chance to read this book would be an understatement, I really, really enjoyed reading this.

I liked the main character, although I was almost as confused in the beginning as she was ;)
Usually we see a character develope over time and if a book is good we can see distinct differences between the character at the beginning of the book and towards the end.
Here though it is totally different. Ling undergoes quite the evolution every day! It is pretty much the same every day, yet I still feel this is an amazing achievement.
Within the span of a day a confused Evelyn turns into a strong-willed Ling. While usually a developement as quick as that would seem forced, here it seems natural, which is very important as Ling has to undergone this transformation every day, it's not like she has a choice.

The plot is very unique and quite interesting. We're kept on our toes at all times and I hardly could stop reading. I haven't seen anything like this done before so I really enjoyed myself.

I'm also quite amazed by the worldbuilding, as well as the world itself.
Ferris describes everything quite beautifully, yet not overly descriptive.
What stood out to me was this worlds view on sexuality and gender roles. From what I was able to discern there aren't actually any set gender roles at all in this world. From what I could tell men and women are both equally accepted in any kind of profession and position of authority. There also seems to be no issue regarding same sex relationships either.
While it's sad that this has to be pointed out as being special, this is exactly what I would like our world as well as every fictional world I read about to be like.
Another thing that ties into this is the view on rape and prostitution in this culture.
Prostitution is a 'normal' occupation here and is totally acceptable, as long as it is completely consensual. I think that's a very unique thing to pay attention to when writing a book, but it is
that should be done more often.
Going along with this is the fact that rape is the worst crime that can be committed, and is punished very harshly and looked down upon by almost everyone. No one here thinks about blaming the victim for a sexual assault and even when a wrong doing of the victim led to them being in the situation where they are assaulted (e.g. Being a blind passenger on a ship and the being assaulted by a sailor who discovers them), no blame whatsoever is taken away from the perpetrator.
While I totally agree with these views it is quite surprising to see an author paying so much attention to these things when they weren't all that important to the plot.

All in all I rated this book 4 stars and I can't wait to read the second one in the series.

[Judith Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review (and more) up on my blog : https://chaininteraction.wordpress.co...

Content note: Mention of rape and sexual assault.

Ok I am not the best at writing summaries but this honestly does nothing to convey the actually quite cool concepts this book covers. Evelyn is a changeling, the result of powerful magic and every morning when she wakes up she has forgotten everything from before she was ‘made’ and has to remind herself who and what she is. It’s like a more serious version of Fifty First Dates. For me this was the most interesting part of her character and I am surprised it isn’t in this summary as I think it would draw more people to read the book.

But anyway, what can I say about Across the Darkling Sea? Well, for one thing it isn’t very long. I finished this in a couple of hours which is short even for me. If you’re on the lookout for a quick read then this will definitely suit you. I think part of that was the fact that this was the first book in the series and it does a lot of setting up of the world in which the action takes place and what our character’s goal is. I was surprised it ended where it did as the story as a whole felt very incomplete, I don’t think Evelyn (or ‘Ling’) grew very much in this book which was disappointing because I at least expect some change to occur throughout a novel, even if it is mostly just setting things up for the future.

But I did think this book had some really cool concepts, the ‘amnesia’ the different types of magic and some of the settings were incredibly creative and powerful ideas that I genuinely did appreciate. What I was left with, however, was the feeling that these ideas could have been used more. I wanted more descriptions of the darkling sea and the creatures within, I wanted her daily forgetting to have been more of an issue, it just felt a little gratuitous in this story, I wanted more magic to be wielded throughout the book or else you might as well not have magic?

One word of warning, there is very nearly a rape scene in this book (attention authors, please stop adding rape and sexual assault to your books for no reason it adds little to nothing to the plot and it devalues your story and makes it impossible for some people to read, thankyou).

I think this a great example of a creative author with a lot more to show, it may be that the sequel has everything I am looking for, I wonder if the sequel and this first book perhaps ought to have been squashed together just to give the story a bit more length and a bit more to get your teeth into.

At any rate, if you enjoy stories with interesting concepts, seafaring and magic you will probably have fun with Across the Darkling Sea. There’s not much I can say to actually fault this book, I just think the ideas had more potential than was actually used.

My rating: 4/5 stars (one star knocked off but all in all this was an enjoyable – if swift – read)

[Marguerite · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars.

Overall, Across the Darkling Sea was an original, fascinating and intriguing tale. I won't deny that I had my issues with it, but yeah, would I recommend it to those searching for a quick, unique magic book, absolutely yes!

Down to the nitty gritty now. Characters. I liked the MC, Evelyn/Ling. Really interesting dynamic which touches on themes of what it is to be human. I felt that the challenge thrown at the MC is interesting and created a really different dynamic from other books I've read (I'm being vague because I don't want to spoil anything, but you'll know exactly what I'm talking about when you read). The secondary characters were good and I have to say, most of them did make an impression even though this book is short and most of them don't have a lot of time to make a mark on the reader.

The plot was solid and interesting, though all the boat travel became a little repetitive and boring at times. This is the case for most books that feature a lot of traveling, and of course, with a book like this that involves the MC searching for answers, there are going to be points where the reader feels like they've read it before.

The magic system and mythology was really interesting. I have to say, the biggest strength of this book is the vivid and absolutely gorgeous descriptions of the world. I felt really immersed and everything was well thought-out and considered. That being said, I feel that some of the magic terminology is too similar in spelling and wording and will make it confusing in the long run, so I'll probably forget fairly soon, because all the magic groups start with the letter 't'.

So, considering that this review is a little mixed, will I be reading on? Well, the premise and the MC has me interested and invested enough to say yes! I'm curious to find out what happens next and certainly with some of the characters introduced I want to know their stories and read what roles they'll be playing in the future. If you're looking for a sailing adventure with magic and a quest for the truth, then Across the Darkling Sea is for you. (Side note: Yes, I won't deny that the title having the word Darkling in it made me curious to begin with, but the story is really cool and unique)

*Thank-you to Pixie9 Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This book was reviewed via XPresso Book Tours

Ferrin’s Across the Darkling Sea is the first part of the Magicfall serial. Now, the author mentions it, but I'll reiterate here: this is a serial, not a series. It is one novel in several parts. Think The Green Mile or Evalyce: Worldshaper.

In the country of Brielle, magic is forbidden. The people do not have it, unlike the rest of the world, and so the people fear it. Most of them anyway. Not so Evelyn, daughter ofThe Chancellor. Every chance she gets, she smuggles small magic into the port city of Meuse. Her latest acquisition is a magic seed, which she planted in secret. It didn't stay secret though. Before she knows it, Evelyn's family and friends have turned on her, for not only does she dabble in magic, but it is a part of who she is. In a land that fears magic, the being made of magic pure is pariah. To learn the truth of her past, and very existence, Evelyn sets off to find an island where magic thrives, whose inhabitants are bound to have answers.

Evelyn's story reminds me of the movie Memento and a bit of Groundhog Day, at least in part. She needs to write down things so she remembers them. Once she flees and discovers her true self, Evelyn chooses a new name for herself. I really liked that. Every major life change in my own life has been marked by a new name. Names are important. I am not the same person after a major uheaval, and neither is Evelyn. It's fitting to find a name that resonates with the new you, and held shed the old life.

I loved the world-building! The places are just...well...magical. It is a wonderful thing to be able to fully immerse yourself in a new world, envisioning it in the mind's eye. There's quite a bit going on in this story, and not everything is fully explained yet, but it's a serial, not a full story, so I imagine that will come later along. I only had a few qualms. One was that at times things seemed more telling and less showing. Another was the pacing. Serial nature aside, things felt rushed at times. I want to get to know the characters better.

The second in the series, A Dying Land, is already out!

📚📚📚📚

[Sanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meet Evelyn, our main character. She lives in Brielle, a place where magic is forbidden, but that has never stopped Evelyn. But things take a horrible turn and Evelyn finds out that she is made of magic! She doesn't get time to fully realise this as she has to run for her life.
Evelyn's friends have turned against her, her mother tried to kill her, and the place she called home banished her.

Her only hope is on an island, filled with dark magic and dangerous creatures. The place most warlocks call home.


I really loved the concept of this book and the idea. Yet it never grasped me like I hoped it would.

Evelyn is an amazing character for this book, she is innocent, yet very driven and quite likeable overall.
The world building was okay, it wasn't very detailled, yet this never bothered me while reading. The scenes where everything took place where quite detailled, but still left enough to the imagination of the reader, which I really liked. It was exactly how detailled I want to read books, so that was something I enjoyed a lot.

The only downside was, that I had trouble getting into the book, and after finishing it, I still have no clue why. Maybe because I was expecting something else? I don't know for sure.

But luckily the unexpected events helped with getting me into the book. Those also made me very curious about its sequel!

I would recommend you this book! Especially because it isn't so big. It is a perfect book to read while traveling with public transit or so! This because the book is a fairly 'light' fantasy! It can be categorised as a young adult, but for the older young adults, since there are some more 'adultier' scenes.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars
I am a huge fan of fantasy books and that is why this book has caught my attention- plus the beautiful cover! The story follows a girl named Evelyn who lives in a place where magic is forbidden. But that doesn't stop her fascination and curiosity with magic. Until one day, she finds out she is not who she thinks she is anymore because of magic and everyone- including her own mother wants to kill her. She flees the place she thought was home to find the warlock who made her in hopes of setting everything back to the way it was.

Across the Darkling Sea was a quick and magical read, the plot was interesting and new to me. I loved how the author's description of the characters and places were beautifully written, I was captivated by the magical creatures and floating cities. It has also been a while since I've read a book without romance, other books seem to always have it because it makes the story more interesting. But this book is different and I enjoyed it even without the romance.
The only thing that I did not like was that the book was short and I know it's a series but the ending was a cliffhanger. To me, it felt like the entire book was just a part one of a single book divided into three or four parts.

As a whole, I enjoyed the book and yes, I would recommend it! If you love fantasy and adventure, you might want to give this book a try.

[Cassie May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Blog
I feel indifferent about this book. Honestly, it didn’t feel finished for me. It did feel like a sequel made to tease the reader and make them buy the other books in this series, but I, personally, wasn’t interested enough to read further. The plot was confusing at first, strange at last. It made not a lot of sense, because the heroine seemed clueless about almost everything. That was on the one hand due to the curse that fell upon her, but on the other hand due to the – sorry – stupidity. Her reasons to do what she did made no sense to me at all.
[spoiler from here]
I couldn’t understand why she wanted to kill herself to let this other girl live. Her feelings with that topic weren’t portrayed in a way that made me see reason. I mean, if someone told me today that I was a changeling, my first reaction would NOT be that I am going to kill myself to let the rightful owner of this body live.
[spoiler end]
The whole plot seemed forced to me. The heroine was naïve and, instead of turning to the people who seemed nice to her, she turned to those people who made her feel threatened. Why? Why would she do that? As I said, it made not a lot of sense and I don’t think I will continue reading this series.
2,5 stars

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is steadily paced with enough action to keep reading but with plenty of description as Ling ventures her way to Dreggs in search of her maker. Its an intriguing tale, and Evelyn/Ling is a well rounded character and though not human in terms of not needing to breathe, eat etc she still has very human emotions. A big part of her journey is not just the physical but the emotional which K. Ferrin writes beautiful. One girls struggle with who -or what- she is and her bravery, courage and selflessness in trying to find the man who created her so she can be unmade.

For my full review you can visit my blog, A Tale or Two Reviews...
https://ataleortworeviews.wixsite.com...

[Alia Therese Lazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic system is quite the usual that we see where they use runes or probably have a group with nearly identical powers, that said, the author was able to incorporate a touch of uniqueness to it making it enjoyable to learn. It was great to be able to learn as the character was learning as well.

The characters had little background which may annoy some people but I liked it. I like how mysterious the people were and how our knowledge was limited to that of the main character which helped me to understand her more.

I received an ARC from the publisher from Netgalley. I thank them for sending this wonderful book to me.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for a honest review from Netgalley.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. I thought the main storyline was really interesting, reading a lot of YA fantasy books many of the stories seem to share plots so it was refreshing to read a YA fantasy that was completely different. I was slightly worried that because of the nature of the storyline it would get repetitive but it didn't it only got better with time. Fast paced and definitely worth a read!

[Tora Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the idea of a changeling who couldn’t die and couldn’t remember what happened to her fascinating. The perils she faces as she journeys to the warlock island are exciting and interesting. Secrets that more is going on in the world, and she just might play a part in it, are slowly uncovered drawing you deeper into the story. I really enjoyed reading this story and am looking forward to the next in the series.
I received this book from the author for free as part of an author cross-promotion giveaway.

[Theresa Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by the author K. Ferrin. This is the first book in the series. I started reading the second book and found that it wasn't making sense. I decided to find the first book and read it first. I found there were a few times where the story was confusing and wasn't consistent related to her memory. It wasn't very smooth and had some repetition dialog.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool concept. It's like nothing I've ever read before. My only complaint was how short it was. I really took a pause while reading to just try to imagine what Ling was going through. I have found myself thinking about story, and can't wait for the next book!

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this novel in a goodreads drawing.

A girl fascinated with magic, even though it is forbidden, takes a voyage across the sea to find an island of witches and warlocks.

Not bad,but nothing really sticks in my mind.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC provided by netgalley. This book was alright, it is a serial series as it mentions so it is a quick read and ends quite abruptly. I'm not sure it kept my interest enough for me to want to pick up the next installment.

[Pat Raab · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child fascinated by magic despite its use being forbidden in her home town. A changeling that does not fit the mold ... and a perilous journey to try and undo what was done 5 years earlier. An intriguing tale.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changelings...warlocks...magic.... This is a fantasy book worth reading!
So excited for book 2!

[Debbie Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what can I say? This was an amazing story about a girl who finds out she isn't real and everything that she does to fix why she exists.

[Kailee Cripps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written however found it didn’t grab me and I couldn’t become engrossed into the story. I am interested in knowing what happens!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Very interesting plot concept. And very, very creative descriptions of creatures and locations (would be cool to see on film). However, the story didn't rivet me, and the book ends (without any fanfare) simply mid journey. May have preferred this series to have been all in one book.