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Eldritch Heart #1
The Eldritch Heart
Princess Oona Talomir adores the little things that come with her a handmaiden, a lavish bedchamber, scores of fancy dresses, and the obligation to win a decades-long war.
Oh, did I mention assassins?
Before her birth, seers foretold she would bring an end to bloodshed with a neighboring kingdom. Ever since she was a little girl, the enemy has been trying to kill her so she could not grow powerful enough to destroy them. As a result, Oona has spent most of her sixteen years hidden away in the castle. With the war going against them, the burden of her crown becomes too much to bear, yet one thing lifts her spirits amid the gloom.
Her servant girl, Kitlyn.
Terrified to confess her forbidden love, Oona panics when her father makes a demand she cannot marry a prince to forge an alliance necessary to save her kingdom. He is handsome and honorable, but he’s not Kitlyn.
Unable to admit why she cannot obey, Oona does the only thing she can think of, and runs away.
Alone and unprepared in the wilderness, she prays the gods will let Kitlyn find her—before the assassins do.
Oh, did I mention assassins?
Before her birth, seers foretold she would bring an end to bloodshed with a neighboring kingdom. Ever since she was a little girl, the enemy has been trying to kill her so she could not grow powerful enough to destroy them. As a result, Oona has spent most of her sixteen years hidden away in the castle. With the war going against them, the burden of her crown becomes too much to bear, yet one thing lifts her spirits amid the gloom.
Her servant girl, Kitlyn.
Terrified to confess her forbidden love, Oona panics when her father makes a demand she cannot marry a prince to forge an alliance necessary to save her kingdom. He is handsome and honorable, but he’s not Kitlyn.
Unable to admit why she cannot obey, Oona does the only thing she can think of, and runs away.
Alone and unprepared in the wilderness, she prays the gods will let Kitlyn find her—before the assassins do.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2017
84 people are currently reading
1008 people want to read
About the author
Matthew S. Cox
194 books266 followersBorn in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 12, 2017
A good YA fantasy read. This is the first book I have read by Cox. I don't think he normally writes LGBT characters, he did a good job though and it was very sweet. I love fantasy, so this was an easy book for me to pick. Cox has a good imagination, and it was easy to get immersed in this world.
The story is about a 16 year old princess. She is confined to the castle, because her kingdom is at war. Assassins are around ever corner, because the princess is foretold to end the war. The enemy believes she will destroy them. But all Oona really wants to do, is spend more time with her best friend Kitlyn. Kitlyn is a servant at the castle, but Oona loves her. When Oona is told she must marry for a strategic alliance, she flees the castle. Can Kitlyn find her before the assassins do?
This was a good adventure. The book is on the longer side. I did think it dragged a little in the first half, that was in the castle. You got to see the bond between Kit and Oona, it just is a little slow. Once the scenes outside of the castle happen, the book really picks up and is exciting.
This is definitely a YA book. While there are adult themes, there is not a lot of explicit content, besides some violent deaths. The characters are young and sweet, so there is some kissing and light touching, nothing more.
This didn't quite have the wow factor of a Breaking Legacies, but it was an enjoyable read. I do wish the ending was a tad more exciting. The "bad guy" of the book, relented pretty easily. I was hoping for a bit more conflict there. Besides that, the rest of the ending was a good, happy ending. If Cox writes another book with lesfic characters, I will absolutely read it. This is pretty easy for me to recommend to YA and or fantasy fans.
An ARC was given to me by Netgalley, for a honest review.
The story is about a 16 year old princess. She is confined to the castle, because her kingdom is at war. Assassins are around ever corner, because the princess is foretold to end the war. The enemy believes she will destroy them. But all Oona really wants to do, is spend more time with her best friend Kitlyn. Kitlyn is a servant at the castle, but Oona loves her. When Oona is told she must marry for a strategic alliance, she flees the castle. Can Kitlyn find her before the assassins do?
This was a good adventure. The book is on the longer side. I did think it dragged a little in the first half, that was in the castle. You got to see the bond between Kit and Oona, it just is a little slow. Once the scenes outside of the castle happen, the book really picks up and is exciting.
This is definitely a YA book. While there are adult themes, there is not a lot of explicit content, besides some violent deaths. The characters are young and sweet, so there is some kissing and light touching, nothing more.
This didn't quite have the wow factor of a Breaking Legacies, but it was an enjoyable read. I do wish the ending was a tad more exciting. The "bad guy" of the book, relented pretty easily. I was hoping for a bit more conflict there. Besides that, the rest of the ending was a good, happy ending. If Cox writes another book with lesfic characters, I will absolutely read it. This is pretty easy for me to recommend to YA and or fantasy fans.
An ARC was given to me by Netgalley, for a honest review.
January 26, 2018
(DNF at 23%, I'm sorry, I just couldn't do it anymore.)
Netgalley say to put good points about the book upfront, so here goes: it was nice that there were lesbians. As an LGBT person, I like seeing fellow queers.
Alright, now the pros are over, let's get on with everything else.
First of all, the overall plot was a terribly bland and cliche fantasy novel. Seriously, it was... rather excruciating. There is a princess, and she is prophesied to end the war. (She is the Chosen One of the Prophecy. I should probably make a disclaimer, once more, that I only managed around a quarter of this before my mind gave up, so it is perfectly probable that the whole prophecy thing turned out to be a massive twist and it was actually somebody else, I don't know. But the fact remains that this book did not manage to capture my attention in the first quarter, and read like a cliche fantasy novel. Regardless of whether it carries on like that, one of the most important things in writing craft is capturing the reader's attention, lest they go in sail of more interesting waters. And the author failed in this vital respect.)
The writing was not terrible, precisely, but there were some very annoying things that I'd like to mention. The servants all speak with a dialect, which is written out. All of them except Kitlyn, that is, because of course she is Special and Better than the others, or maybe the author just realised making Kitlyn speak like that too would lead to a saturation of transliteration of dialect that would be distracting to the reader. Now, I don't know if this was supposed to be going for realism, but quite frankly it is pointless and distracting. The odd word is fine, maybe dropping an H here and there or something, or a "ya" instead of you/your, but this is just unnecessary:
"I donnae know why 'ey all treat ya like 'is. I fink they jealous."
I don't know what sort of dialect/accent the author is trying to represent here. Since I grew up in Newcastle, it sounds like he tried to do a Geordie accent but failed. (It would probably be more like, "A dinna why they all treat ya like this. I think they're just jealous, man." perhaps, although I'm no expert. Maybe there is an accent out there that sounds like this, who knows. Maybe he invented it to be Original, I have no idea.)
Oona is also incredibly irritating, saying things like "I don't have to tell you where I'm going to be every moment of the day. How dare you speak to me like this!" First of all you impudent brat, there are Literal Actual Assassins out there. And at this point, I don't think I'd be sad if they succeeded in their mission.
There was also a completely pointless ableist remark in which Oona, stuck in some sort of corsety dress, says she feels like one of those "nutters" they confine in "straightjackets", which aside from the misspelling of straitjackets, is completely unneccessary and the sort of thing a good editor would have gone "Um, you really don't need this in here." It's also the sort of remark I could probably let slide with a bit of eye-rolling if everything else in the book hadn't riled me up first. Adding a disparaging remark about mentally ill people on top of your already questionable writing is not the way to make me do a volte face.
Overall - yes, I am aware this is a pretty much entirely negative review, but that is because I genuinely could find nothing that I liked, really. Sorry 'bout it.
Netgalley say to put good points about the book upfront, so here goes: it was nice that there were lesbians. As an LGBT person, I like seeing fellow queers.
Alright, now the pros are over, let's get on with everything else.
First of all, the overall plot was a terribly bland and cliche fantasy novel. Seriously, it was... rather excruciating. There is a princess, and she is prophesied to end the war. (She is the Chosen One of the Prophecy. I should probably make a disclaimer, once more, that I only managed around a quarter of this before my mind gave up, so it is perfectly probable that the whole prophecy thing turned out to be a massive twist and it was actually somebody else, I don't know. But the fact remains that this book did not manage to capture my attention in the first quarter, and read like a cliche fantasy novel. Regardless of whether it carries on like that, one of the most important things in writing craft is capturing the reader's attention, lest they go in sail of more interesting waters. And the author failed in this vital respect.)
The writing was not terrible, precisely, but there were some very annoying things that I'd like to mention. The servants all speak with a dialect, which is written out. All of them except Kitlyn, that is, because of course she is Special and Better than the others, or maybe the author just realised making Kitlyn speak like that too would lead to a saturation of transliteration of dialect that would be distracting to the reader. Now, I don't know if this was supposed to be going for realism, but quite frankly it is pointless and distracting. The odd word is fine, maybe dropping an H here and there or something, or a "ya" instead of you/your, but this is just unnecessary:
"I donnae know why 'ey all treat ya like 'is. I fink they jealous."
I don't know what sort of dialect/accent the author is trying to represent here. Since I grew up in Newcastle, it sounds like he tried to do a Geordie accent but failed. (It would probably be more like, "A dinna why they all treat ya like this. I think they're just jealous, man." perhaps, although I'm no expert. Maybe there is an accent out there that sounds like this, who knows. Maybe he invented it to be Original, I have no idea.)
Oona is also incredibly irritating, saying things like "I don't have to tell you where I'm going to be every moment of the day. How dare you speak to me like this!" First of all you impudent brat, there are Literal Actual Assassins out there. And at this point, I don't think I'd be sad if they succeeded in their mission.
There was also a completely pointless ableist remark in which Oona, stuck in some sort of corsety dress, says she feels like one of those "nutters" they confine in "straightjackets", which aside from the misspelling of straitjackets, is completely unneccessary and the sort of thing a good editor would have gone "Um, you really don't need this in here." It's also the sort of remark I could probably let slide with a bit of eye-rolling if everything else in the book hadn't riled me up first. Adding a disparaging remark about mentally ill people on top of your already questionable writing is not the way to make me do a volte face.
Overall - yes, I am aware this is a pretty much entirely negative review, but that is because I genuinely could find nothing that I liked, really. Sorry 'bout it.
July 1, 2017
The Eldritch Heart by Matthew S. Cox is another good book by Cox. This one was slower than most of his books I felt. I would have liked it a little better if it would be a little faster paced but it was still good. It is a good fantasy, mystery, lots of twists, and it is a LBGTQ so if anyone has a problem with that, know this up front. I have never been disappointed with any of his books before and I was not disappointed with this one. I was given this book to read but the review was voluntary.
February 9, 2018
Pretty good. I liked Kitlyn.
July 6, 2017
First time reading anything from this author so it won't be the last.
Arc provided by NetGalley for a honest review.
Arc provided by NetGalley for a honest review.
Read
August 14, 2019SPFBO dnf
Princess Oona has lived a sheltered and protected life. Her father keeps her to the castle and the surrounding grounds, in his fear of losing her to assassins. A prophecy foretold she would cause the death of tens of thousands and end the war between the kingdoms putting a target on her back.
Oona’s only real friend is her maid Kitlyn. Whom she is deeply in love with and too afraid to confess lest she lose their friendship for good.
I have mentioned in several reviews lately how much I have been wanting a soul-sister buddy story. You know the girls equivalent of a bromance buddy adventure. And while I have come across a few, they’re still not quite what I have been looking for. This somewhat has that sense that I am looking for just with a little extra feeling on top the soul-sister vibe but isn’t quite buddy adventure either.
I really liked that the girls' friendship and love felt quite natural. And that we get to see them spending time together and hanging out, with a good base for their attraction. I liked the actual seeing them spend time chatting and goofing around (like at the stream) more than the “do you remember when we did that?” which we got a bit of too.
This was a hard one for me because the writing was decent enough and I had no major complaints - other than it taking a while to get on its feet and get the plot going. I had a few other minor things that fall into personal dislikes column- the servants speech was a bit distracting at times, and that everybody was mean to, or bullied poor Kitlyn (other than one young serving girl) which gets in that tropey-feeling area real fast for me.
There were hints and undercurrents of things that interested me. I liked the magic. There was obviously something to do with Kitlyn and where she’s from (possibly long-lost princess of the other kingdom?) Also, there were some hints that the girls' relationship might not be as taboo as it seems - if the king approves and other things here and there that I was curious about. But I kept finding my attention wandering and losing interest and it could be if I read a bit further it would kick-in and I would be hooked but I wasn’t feeling it enough to keep going at this time. This is one, I may come back to at a later date, when I can pick away at it. But for SPFBO purposes I will have to say goodbye for now.
score for spfbo purposes 3/10
Princess Oona has lived a sheltered and protected life. Her father keeps her to the castle and the surrounding grounds, in his fear of losing her to assassins. A prophecy foretold she would cause the death of tens of thousands and end the war between the kingdoms putting a target on her back.
Oona’s only real friend is her maid Kitlyn. Whom she is deeply in love with and too afraid to confess lest she lose their friendship for good.
I have mentioned in several reviews lately how much I have been wanting a soul-sister buddy story. You know the girls equivalent of a bromance buddy adventure. And while I have come across a few, they’re still not quite what I have been looking for. This somewhat has that sense that I am looking for just with a little extra feeling on top the soul-sister vibe but isn’t quite buddy adventure either.
I really liked that the girls' friendship and love felt quite natural. And that we get to see them spending time together and hanging out, with a good base for their attraction. I liked the actual seeing them spend time chatting and goofing around (like at the stream) more than the “do you remember when we did that?” which we got a bit of too.
This was a hard one for me because the writing was decent enough and I had no major complaints - other than it taking a while to get on its feet and get the plot going. I had a few other minor things that fall into personal dislikes column- the servants speech was a bit distracting at times, and that everybody was mean to, or bullied poor Kitlyn (other than one young serving girl) which gets in that tropey-feeling area real fast for me.
There were hints and undercurrents of things that interested me. I liked the magic. There was obviously something to do with Kitlyn and where she’s from (possibly long-lost princess of the other kingdom?) Also, there were some hints that the girls' relationship might not be as taboo as it seems - if the king approves and other things here and there that I was curious about. But I kept finding my attention wandering and losing interest and it could be if I read a bit further it would kick-in and I would be hooked but I wasn’t feeling it enough to keep going at this time. This is one, I may come back to at a later date, when I can pick away at it. But for SPFBO purposes I will have to say goodbye for now.
score for spfbo purposes 3/10
May 10, 2018
The Eldritch Heart by Matthew S. Cox is a cute love story that is packed with action from cover to cover! If you're looking for a great YA Fantasy where the princess acts as the stone that bends the river, and fights against outdated beliefs, then this is the right book for you!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
First things first... LOOK AT THAT COVER. My goodness, I love it so much! The cover was designed by Eugene Teplitsky and it's a design that fits the book wonderfully in my opinion. When I read the description of the heart for the first time in the text, I immediately looked back at the cover and thought, "The designer must have actually read the book and really paid attention!" Far too many times, especially with fantasy books, I've found that the covers just don't align with the text. This one was spot on!
Matthew told me he's about to drop a new cover design. I can't wait to see it! Once that has been released, I will make sure to add it in here!
So now about the heart of the book! The writing style was very easy to read and it all flowed well. There were so many passages that I absolutely loved (see "My favorite passages" below!). And like I said above, it was so action packed! Just when I thought things were going to calm down a bit, the girls were thrown into another crazy situation.
I really enjoyed Kitlyn as a character! Right from the first chapter, I was drawn to her. Even with everything that was thrown her way on a daily basis, she stayed so strong. I also really loved the character Ralen. I would have happily read more about him, though I am glad that he didn't overshadow Kitlyn and Oona. I also really enjoyed many of the side characters such as Kethaba, Beredwyn, Ogun, and Evie.
Thinking about Kitlyn and Oona together as a duo, I did really enjoy their wit and tenacity!
There were SO many elements in this book that are very relevant to the state of the world today that Matthew covered wonderfully! The two that really stood out included:
Same-sex relationships and the unfortunate disdain that comes along with it. But not to worry, there was also a very refreshing, and positive stance held by more characters than those that were nasty!
Inappropriate behavior and touching. This is extremely prevalent in fantasy, so I was thrilled when Ralen growled out of distaste and anger when one of the characters spoke of what a guard had done.
Beware, the slight negatives:
There were two things that kind of took me out of the story a bit. I've been mulling these two things over and I think it's simply because I've grown out of this genre; I don't think these things would have even phased me if I had read this book when I was a teenager. I used to LOVE YA Fantasy, but now the ones I enjoy are very few and far between. And don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed this one!
The first slight negative for me was how repetitive it was. I started to lose interest in the romance and the relationship between the girls and the king because of how often certain things were brought up. At first I was okay with the repetition! For example, when Oona thought about something, I like that we also saw Kitlyn thinking the same thing before the tension was resolved. But after awhile, it became bothersome to me (which, of course, is my usual irk with many books).
And this makes me so sad, but I have to say that I really didn't like Oona. I really wanted to see her grow up! Things toward the end seemed to be improving, but it was too late for me to jump on board. But to avoid spoilers, I'll leave it at that.
My favorite passages:
Kitlyn covered her mouth in a poor attempt to mute her laughter and reached to help her up. The princess clasped her hand, setting off a sensation like a mass of exuberant fireflies swarmed around her arm and settled in the pit of her stomach.
“Argh!” She screamed. “I feel like one of those nutters they confine in... in...” She huffed, the sharp breath tossing a frappe of her hair off her face. “Straightjackets.” Grunting, she pulled, and another bow came loose. “When I am queen, I shall outlaw any garment one cannot put on or take off themselves!”
"Tenebrae's teacups!" Oona's hand sprang open as a reflex, dropping the bade. She clutched her fist to her chest, gasping from the pain.
The guards relaxed all at once. Usually, that epithet invoked the death goddess' bosom rather than her tableware... and did not belong coming out of a princess' mouth.
By late afternoon, the growling in her belly had grown loud enough to have a conversation with, not that she could understand a word.
The old one pursed her lips. "Oh, and we don't eat babies, either."
Kitlyn blinked.
"They're too difficult to prepare. Tiny bones, you see."
She dropped the spoon in the bowl, horrified.
Kethaba burst into laughter. "Oh, forgive me, child. The look on your face..." She cackled.
She'd felt like a mouse in a barn full of wildcats before, but now the barn happened to be on fire too - and locked.
No words came to mind to fit the weight in her heart, or the sorrow on his face, so she kept quiet. Long meadow grass on both sides of the road wavered in the wind like waves upon the ocean.
Pure panic gave her wings, and she somehow managed to bounce out of it onto her feet.
She drew in a breath to do what any self-respecting sixteen-year-old princess with a meager longsword would do when finding herself ten paces away from such a thing: she screamed.
My final thoughts:
I would absolutely recommend this to fans of YA Fantasy! This story was so refreshing when comparing it to other YA Fantasy novels I have read. There were so many bits of this book that made me gasp or laugh right out loud! I can't wait to read more by Matthew S. Cox!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
First things first... LOOK AT THAT COVER. My goodness, I love it so much! The cover was designed by Eugene Teplitsky and it's a design that fits the book wonderfully in my opinion. When I read the description of the heart for the first time in the text, I immediately looked back at the cover and thought, "The designer must have actually read the book and really paid attention!" Far too many times, especially with fantasy books, I've found that the covers just don't align with the text. This one was spot on!
Matthew told me he's about to drop a new cover design. I can't wait to see it! Once that has been released, I will make sure to add it in here!
So now about the heart of the book! The writing style was very easy to read and it all flowed well. There were so many passages that I absolutely loved (see "My favorite passages" below!). And like I said above, it was so action packed! Just when I thought things were going to calm down a bit, the girls were thrown into another crazy situation.
I really enjoyed Kitlyn as a character! Right from the first chapter, I was drawn to her. Even with everything that was thrown her way on a daily basis, she stayed so strong. I also really loved the character Ralen. I would have happily read more about him, though I am glad that he didn't overshadow Kitlyn and Oona. I also really enjoyed many of the side characters such as Kethaba, Beredwyn, Ogun, and Evie.
Thinking about Kitlyn and Oona together as a duo, I did really enjoy their wit and tenacity!
There were SO many elements in this book that are very relevant to the state of the world today that Matthew covered wonderfully! The two that really stood out included:
Same-sex relationships and the unfortunate disdain that comes along with it. But not to worry, there was also a very refreshing, and positive stance held by more characters than those that were nasty!
Inappropriate behavior and touching. This is extremely prevalent in fantasy, so I was thrilled when Ralen growled out of distaste and anger when one of the characters spoke of what a guard had done.
Beware, the slight negatives:
There were two things that kind of took me out of the story a bit. I've been mulling these two things over and I think it's simply because I've grown out of this genre; I don't think these things would have even phased me if I had read this book when I was a teenager. I used to LOVE YA Fantasy, but now the ones I enjoy are very few and far between. And don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed this one!
The first slight negative for me was how repetitive it was. I started to lose interest in the romance and the relationship between the girls and the king because of how often certain things were brought up. At first I was okay with the repetition! For example, when Oona thought about something, I like that we also saw Kitlyn thinking the same thing before the tension was resolved. But after awhile, it became bothersome to me (which, of course, is my usual irk with many books).
And this makes me so sad, but I have to say that I really didn't like Oona. I really wanted to see her grow up! Things toward the end seemed to be improving, but it was too late for me to jump on board. But to avoid spoilers, I'll leave it at that.
My favorite passages:
Kitlyn covered her mouth in a poor attempt to mute her laughter and reached to help her up. The princess clasped her hand, setting off a sensation like a mass of exuberant fireflies swarmed around her arm and settled in the pit of her stomach.
“Argh!” She screamed. “I feel like one of those nutters they confine in... in...” She huffed, the sharp breath tossing a frappe of her hair off her face. “Straightjackets.” Grunting, she pulled, and another bow came loose. “When I am queen, I shall outlaw any garment one cannot put on or take off themselves!”
"Tenebrae's teacups!" Oona's hand sprang open as a reflex, dropping the bade. She clutched her fist to her chest, gasping from the pain.
The guards relaxed all at once. Usually, that epithet invoked the death goddess' bosom rather than her tableware... and did not belong coming out of a princess' mouth.
By late afternoon, the growling in her belly had grown loud enough to have a conversation with, not that she could understand a word.
The old one pursed her lips. "Oh, and we don't eat babies, either."
Kitlyn blinked.
"They're too difficult to prepare. Tiny bones, you see."
She dropped the spoon in the bowl, horrified.
Kethaba burst into laughter. "Oh, forgive me, child. The look on your face..." She cackled.
She'd felt like a mouse in a barn full of wildcats before, but now the barn happened to be on fire too - and locked.
No words came to mind to fit the weight in her heart, or the sorrow on his face, so she kept quiet. Long meadow grass on both sides of the road wavered in the wind like waves upon the ocean.
Pure panic gave her wings, and she somehow managed to bounce out of it onto her feet.
She drew in a breath to do what any self-respecting sixteen-year-old princess with a meager longsword would do when finding herself ten paces away from such a thing: she screamed.
My final thoughts:
I would absolutely recommend this to fans of YA Fantasy! This story was so refreshing when comparing it to other YA Fantasy novels I have read. There were so many bits of this book that made me gasp or laugh right out loud! I can't wait to read more by Matthew S. Cox!
January 29, 2019
This book was very slow to get into. For a 400 page book it was close to halfway through it before I got into the story. Once I did get into it I did enjoy the plot and the story as well as the twist. I personally think it could have been a bit shorter to help someone get into it. Some parts were fairly repetitive. Not horrible just too long for what it was. Bonus points for being a lesbian story where the characters actually have a happy ending.
June 6, 2019
Despite being quite well written this book is just annoying to read. The only thing more annoying than bullys are people with the power to stop them for good, and don't. The whole story is stupid and ridiculous.
January 7, 2019
Wow... just wow. I'm going to see if the next book is available to buy now. I must know what happens next for Kit and Oona.
Thank you for the whimsical escape, Matthew S. Cox!
Thank you for the whimsical escape, Matthew S. Cox!
September 11, 2017
To see my full review for this title, visit the So Few Books blog at: https://sofewbooks.blogspot.com/2017/...!
I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. I requested it originally because I heard there was a main player – a Princess, no less – who was an LGBTQ character. Since, even in this day and age, this seems to be an underrepresented segment of society, I thought this work would be well worth promoting, or at least exploring. Turns out, I was right on both counts.
The author has crafted a wonderful adventure story full of intrigue, action, mystery, romance, and fantasy. It is truly a delightful tale, awash with magic and seemingly fueled with heart.
Despite how much I enjoyed the tale, I have to warn that it did start out SO boring!...
There’s also an awful lot of teenage angst in the form of repeated “Does she love me?” queries...
Eventually, due to other outside circumstances, things come to a head and the girls independently leave the castle... To say they are ill-prepared for the outside world is a bit of an understatement, but... after many adventures and mishaps, they finally get a shot at their own non-traditional happily ever after.
I liked how it wasn’t the usual trope of the charming prince rescuing the helpless princess. Instead, it was about two young women coming of age and growing into their own voices, while simultaneously trying to navigate an awful lot of distracting outside influences.
I must admit that I found the “love scenes” more uncomfortable than I had anticipated....
The ending is basically a happy one, which I was very glad of; even though the girls will undoubtedly have many challenges ahead in their relationship and due to various issues in their kingdom, they are poised to have a wonderful future together. Yet it did all seem to wrap up a bit too quickly. I would have enjoyed some more explanation as to what comes next, as much with the kingdom as with the main characters. It was definitely a shame how some very intriguing secondary characters were rather abruptly disposed of in the tale; I would have liked to know more about several of them.
Definitely a good read that I highly recommend though, especially if you are looking for sympathetic and realistic LGBTQ characters, and the type of kick-butt female lead who can be her own heroine.
I received a free eBook copy of this novel from Curiosity Quills Press and NetGalley, and have willingly provided an honest review.
I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. I requested it originally because I heard there was a main player – a Princess, no less – who was an LGBTQ character. Since, even in this day and age, this seems to be an underrepresented segment of society, I thought this work would be well worth promoting, or at least exploring. Turns out, I was right on both counts.
The author has crafted a wonderful adventure story full of intrigue, action, mystery, romance, and fantasy. It is truly a delightful tale, awash with magic and seemingly fueled with heart.
Despite how much I enjoyed the tale, I have to warn that it did start out SO boring!...
There’s also an awful lot of teenage angst in the form of repeated “Does she love me?” queries...
Eventually, due to other outside circumstances, things come to a head and the girls independently leave the castle... To say they are ill-prepared for the outside world is a bit of an understatement, but... after many adventures and mishaps, they finally get a shot at their own non-traditional happily ever after.
I liked how it wasn’t the usual trope of the charming prince rescuing the helpless princess. Instead, it was about two young women coming of age and growing into their own voices, while simultaneously trying to navigate an awful lot of distracting outside influences.
I must admit that I found the “love scenes” more uncomfortable than I had anticipated....
The ending is basically a happy one, which I was very glad of; even though the girls will undoubtedly have many challenges ahead in their relationship and due to various issues in their kingdom, they are poised to have a wonderful future together. Yet it did all seem to wrap up a bit too quickly. I would have enjoyed some more explanation as to what comes next, as much with the kingdom as with the main characters. It was definitely a shame how some very intriguing secondary characters were rather abruptly disposed of in the tale; I would have liked to know more about several of them.
Definitely a good read that I highly recommend though, especially if you are looking for sympathetic and realistic LGBTQ characters, and the type of kick-butt female lead who can be her own heroine.
I received a free eBook copy of this novel from Curiosity Quills Press and NetGalley, and have willingly provided an honest review.
July 30, 2017
I received a copy of The Eldritch Heart from Xpresso Book Tours and the author for an honest review. There was no compensation given or received for the review.
I am a fan of Matthew S. Cox. I love how he writes his female leads and puts them in situations that seem so dangerous that they are fighting the impossible. What is even better is that these female leads use their wit, emotions, and personal strengths to fight past their conflicts. The female leads of The Eldritch Heart are no different.
Oona is a sweet and compassionate young woman who wants nothing but to be with the person she loves, Kitlyn. She fears what everyone seems to believe is going to happen, that she will destroy a whole nation to end a war. Sure, there are times that she may seem spoiled, but I found her to be endearing and good.
Kitlyn was my personal favorite of the two. She is passionate, quick witted, and has the same goodness that Oona has. Despite being looked down upon and treated poorly, Kit is able to see past the prejudices and assert herself when she can.
In case you haven't noticed, this book is an LGBT book. This is probably why I instantly asked to be a part of the tour. Cox hasn't written an LGBT book before, but he has written fantasy and does a great job with his female leads. Adding the relationship between Kit and Oona only strengthened this book. Their love was pure, real, and I didn't feel like it was misplaced or put together to join in on a movement.
These two girls were meant to be together.
The story is quick to start and hard to put down read. I probably read for a few hours straight and there are no regrets. This is very close to my favorite Cox book so far. I would definitely recommend this and I encourage Cox to write another YA LGBT in the future. Dare I say it, I even would love to see these ladies kicking ass in a sequel (not sure what the story would be, but I like to think it).
I am a fan of Matthew S. Cox. I love how he writes his female leads and puts them in situations that seem so dangerous that they are fighting the impossible. What is even better is that these female leads use their wit, emotions, and personal strengths to fight past their conflicts. The female leads of The Eldritch Heart are no different.
Oona is a sweet and compassionate young woman who wants nothing but to be with the person she loves, Kitlyn. She fears what everyone seems to believe is going to happen, that she will destroy a whole nation to end a war. Sure, there are times that she may seem spoiled, but I found her to be endearing and good.
Kitlyn was my personal favorite of the two. She is passionate, quick witted, and has the same goodness that Oona has. Despite being looked down upon and treated poorly, Kit is able to see past the prejudices and assert herself when she can.
In case you haven't noticed, this book is an LGBT book. This is probably why I instantly asked to be a part of the tour. Cox hasn't written an LGBT book before, but he has written fantasy and does a great job with his female leads. Adding the relationship between Kit and Oona only strengthened this book. Their love was pure, real, and I didn't feel like it was misplaced or put together to join in on a movement.
These two girls were meant to be together.
The story is quick to start and hard to put down read. I probably read for a few hours straight and there are no regrets. This is very close to my favorite Cox book so far. I would definitely recommend this and I encourage Cox to write another YA LGBT in the future. Dare I say it, I even would love to see these ladies kicking ass in a sequel (not sure what the story would be, but I like to think it).
August 3, 2017
The Eldritch Heart is my favorite book I’ve ever read for a blog tour! Full stop. This is not just because the two main characters are unfailingly badass, it is because this world does something I was afraid I’d never see in a YA and like again. It explores old tropes and remakes them.
We’ve all heard of prophecies for people who will save their kingdom. But do any of them have a badass lesbian protagonist at the forefront? Probably not.
Do we have writings centered around a lesbian relationship? Sometimes. But are they filled with humanity and honesty and non-fetishization? Definitely not.
This writing style is some of the best that I’ve seen from a debut author. He characterizes people both important and small with depth and humor. His settings are diverse and his story is filled with intrigue. This is one of those stories that are very plot heavy but driven by characters. There is nothing worse than a fantasy story where characters are shoved to do things by the plot like socks in a washing machine. On the other hand, Cox weaves his characters through situations that showcase their depth without being their omnipotent God.
We’ve all heard of prophecies for people who will save their kingdom. But do any of them have a badass lesbian protagonist at the forefront? Probably not.
Do we have writings centered around a lesbian relationship? Sometimes. But are they filled with humanity and honesty and non-fetishization? Definitely not.
This writing style is some of the best that I’ve seen from a debut author. He characterizes people both important and small with depth and humor. His settings are diverse and his story is filled with intrigue. This is one of those stories that are very plot heavy but driven by characters. There is nothing worse than a fantasy story where characters are shoved to do things by the plot like socks in a washing machine. On the other hand, Cox weaves his characters through situations that showcase their depth without being their omnipotent God.
August 4, 2017
I requested a review copy of this novel and a slot in the blog tour because a lesbian protagonist is still relatively unusual in epic fantasy. So I thought The Eldritch Heart might need my help to reach its audience. Oona could be an inspiration to those who need her in their lives.
Once I read the book, I realized that it also deserved my support for another important reason. Fantasy and science fiction author Jane Lindskold had complained at a reading which I attended a number of years ago that epic fantasy has a strong anti-democratic tendency. She thought that American fantasy authors shouldn't be uncritical cheerleaders for monarchy and aristocracy. So I noticed when Matthew Cox seemed to be questioning some of the values of traditional epic fantasy without completely overturning them. The plot actually resembles a Mark Twain classic in some ways. I won't say which one. That would be a spoiler.
I enjoyed reading The Eldritch Heart for its plot and character relationships. I also thought that it explores some important themes. I considered it a good read.
For the blog tour post and giveaway see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20... The giveaway ends August 16, 2017.
Once I read the book, I realized that it also deserved my support for another important reason. Fantasy and science fiction author Jane Lindskold had complained at a reading which I attended a number of years ago that epic fantasy has a strong anti-democratic tendency. She thought that American fantasy authors shouldn't be uncritical cheerleaders for monarchy and aristocracy. So I noticed when Matthew Cox seemed to be questioning some of the values of traditional epic fantasy without completely overturning them. The plot actually resembles a Mark Twain classic in some ways. I won't say which one. That would be a spoiler.
I enjoyed reading The Eldritch Heart for its plot and character relationships. I also thought that it explores some important themes. I considered it a good read.
For the blog tour post and giveaway see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20... The giveaway ends August 16, 2017.
August 11, 2017
Oh my but The Eldritch Heart fulfilled all of my epic fantasy desires and then some. From a sweeping land to a complex story line, it held all the daring adventure and magic to satisfy anyone's mystical needs.
Yet then, it took it a few steps further and added a plot of the most lovely and touching romance. A love to defy odds, not just because of their drastically different stations in life, but also because they are both girls. Girls growing into women of power, trying to achieve the destiny they are destined to inherit.
It was a long tale, but one of the author's skills is weaving his words so masterfully that the pages never drag on, the going never gets too slow. It's so easy to simply become a part of the character's lives and I for one would have been willing to stay with them indefinitely.
I can't help but hope there will be more to their story.
~George
Yet then, it took it a few steps further and added a plot of the most lovely and touching romance. A love to defy odds, not just because of their drastically different stations in life, but also because they are both girls. Girls growing into women of power, trying to achieve the destiny they are destined to inherit.
It was a long tale, but one of the author's skills is weaving his words so masterfully that the pages never drag on, the going never gets too slow. It's so easy to simply become a part of the character's lives and I for one would have been willing to stay with them indefinitely.
I can't help but hope there will be more to their story.
~George
January 15, 2020
I am reviewing the audiobook, so if there are any "dialect" problems in the book itself the performer overcame them and delivered a great experience. What I like best about this story is that it's not linear.
What I mean is: (a) quest story, quest complete, the end; (b) romance story, romance happens, the end; (c) political story, resolved, the end.
Here we have a layered story where several elements are in play throughout. Each thread is resolved in its own way. Then we get a little bit of accountability for what happened after that. I enjoy books where there are several chapters of what happened after "the end." There's an interesting magic system (not explained in detail) but the story isn't driven by "the magic system," and how MCs are the "most powerful ever." Here we have great MCs that anyone can relate to and root for. We also have a story that (IMHO) overcomes a particular genre and can be recommended to anyone.
What I mean is: (a) quest story, quest complete, the end; (b) romance story, romance happens, the end; (c) political story, resolved, the end.
Here we have a layered story where several elements are in play throughout. Each thread is resolved in its own way. Then we get a little bit of accountability for what happened after that. I enjoy books where there are several chapters of what happened after "the end." There's an interesting magic system (not explained in detail) but the story isn't driven by "the magic system," and how MCs are the "most powerful ever." Here we have great MCs that anyone can relate to and root for. We also have a story that (IMHO) overcomes a particular genre and can be recommended to anyone.
September 24, 2018
So many lies beginning with one greed.
One simple kind pure of heart person. The burden of entire society on her shoulders. With only one friend that all try to keep from her. How could this possibly end well? Assassin’s around every corner. Mysteries to be solved.
One simple kind pure of heart person. The burden of entire society on her shoulders. With only one friend that all try to keep from her. How could this possibly end well? Assassin’s around every corner. Mysteries to be solved.
September 26, 2018
Princess Oona is tired of the war and being stuck-trapped-in the castle. The only thing she looks forward to is hanging with Kitlyn. Unsure what to do about her forbidden love, things take a turn for the scandalous. Secrets are hard to keep secret.
March 9, 2021
For the people who think female characters cry every five minutes.
September 25, 2018
Such a sweet, heartwarming and unique story. It's a coming of age story of two 16 year old girls, one a Princess and one a peasant...with magic. Such a wonderful love story, where you are fully invested in these two characters. This is a book full of surprises, and definitely worth reading!!
October 1, 2018
This is an epic saga of two warring countries and discovering pure love. Oona and Kitlyn's story is incredibly written and spell binding. I would have enjoyed a little more detail about the outcome for King Aodh, and Evermoor's healing.
August 3, 2018
Coming of age and coming out of the closet
Matthew Fox's Eldritch Heart is a warm coming of age story with a lgbt theme. Although the tale is rather slow moving in the beginning it is definitely worth the time to read. The author covers many of the struggles of lgbt youth while weaving his tale of princess and magic. If only everyone got their happily ever after, I highly recommend this book to those who doubt that love is simply love.
Matthew Fox's Eldritch Heart is a warm coming of age story with a lgbt theme. Although the tale is rather slow moving in the beginning it is definitely worth the time to read. The author covers many of the struggles of lgbt youth while weaving his tale of princess and magic. If only everyone got their happily ever after, I highly recommend this book to those who doubt that love is simply love.
October 18, 2018
To me the beginning of the story seems a little drawn out. There is lots of world building which is helpful at the end, but is a little boring in the beginning. It wasn't till around 62 percent that I was like, oh now we're getting interesting! There were some interesting things thrown in there towards the end, and I liked how the girls had one society that accepted them as they were and this helped them deal with the rigid world that didn't approve. The consequences of the actions of the person who started the war were a surprise. There is some somewhat graphic violence towards the end, but for me I just was like finally some action! No explicit adult content.
June 22, 2018
Brilliant
this storyline was compelling and brilliant! Absolutely beautiful characters and personalities within the story and full of twists and turns. I need more!
this storyline was compelling and brilliant! Absolutely beautiful characters and personalities within the story and full of twists and turns. I need more!
July 1, 2022
Cox fuses the classic tale of a destined saviour with the equally classic tale of a love society will not understand without becoming constrained by either. The result is lesbian fantasy that transcends a sense of political agenda.
For sixteen years, Princess Oona Talomir has lived a life of privilege marred by only two things. First, she is prophesied to end the war between her nation and its neighbour; leaving her confined to the palace in case assassins come, and filling her with fear she will cause the slaughter of a nation. Second, her feelings for Kitlyn, her childhood friend and unofficial handmaiden, have lately become more than platonic; leaving her fearing both the rejection of her friend and the opprobrium of a society guided by rules of divine purity. Unable to cope with the thought of both unleashing magical fury on her neighbours and living a lie for the rest of her life, she resolves to flee.
Cox opens with little threat to Oona, describing instead the day-to-day pursuits of someone possessing great status yet no real freedom to act. Interwoven with Oona’s daily existence, he shows Kitlyn ordered to serve Oona yet also abused and mistreated by some of the servants and staff for getting above her status. These parallel views of a world very far from the conflict between nations and free of real danger but with little reminders that the war continues, create both the sense that the princess is spoiled and wilful and build a sense of paranoid and doubt: supposedly, the other side are aware of the prophecy and so seek the death of the princess, but if she’s seen no sign of assassins for all her life are they really out there?
This conflict between Oona’s rejection of her place being possibly self-indulgent and the bases of her duty being possibly a lie expands and shifts as the novel continues, preventing the reader from deciding whether either side of the conflict is right, or even be certain what it is about and what will happen; as such, it avoids the issue that many fantasy prophecies display of telling the reader how things will end before the challenge has begun while also creating a feeling that events have grown from a history as convoluted and conflicting as the real world.
In contrast to the lack of objective facts provided to the reader in the ongoing conflict, the relationship between Oona and Kitlyn displays the dramatic irony and conflict arc of a traditional romance plot: as the point-of-view swaps back and forth between them in successive chapters, they each desperately wish to reveal their love to the other but are constrained by a fear of being seen as disgusting both by their beloved and society. While this failure to just tell each other might cause some readers to wish to bang their heads together or lock them in a room until they figure it out, it also provides an intimate demonstration that the state religion and society that surrounds it are embedded in a way that modern culture and conventions aren’t; thus feeding back into the thread about the holy war against evil neighbours.
Oona and Kitlyn are, while distinct in character, united by the same desire to do the right thing rather than what they are told is the right thing. As such, their naivety and immaturity are underlain by decency and courage, making them feel sympathetic rather than spoilt, petty, or vengeful; similarly, while they are following a prophecy, their challenges are varied and costly, preventing them from slipping into the cliché of “chosen one and trusty companion saving the world”.
The supporting cast are similarly recognisable yet complex. While everyone accepts the prophecy is true, their idea of its fulfilment runs from the mundane dynastic marriage to the apocalyptic scouring of the enemy to its bedrock. Similarly, characters display a spectrum of reactions to romantic relationships both between women and between social classes.
Although same-sex relationships and a society strongly opposed to them on religious grounds power one of the two central conflicts in this novel, so many characters have an opinion, Cox does not ram a message down the readers throat: readers will not be able to cleanly divide the characters into good people and bad depending on whether they are troubled by homosexuality.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking a blend of classic fantasy tropes and nuanced character.
I received a free copy from the author with no obligation to review.
For sixteen years, Princess Oona Talomir has lived a life of privilege marred by only two things. First, she is prophesied to end the war between her nation and its neighbour; leaving her confined to the palace in case assassins come, and filling her with fear she will cause the slaughter of a nation. Second, her feelings for Kitlyn, her childhood friend and unofficial handmaiden, have lately become more than platonic; leaving her fearing both the rejection of her friend and the opprobrium of a society guided by rules of divine purity. Unable to cope with the thought of both unleashing magical fury on her neighbours and living a lie for the rest of her life, she resolves to flee.
Cox opens with little threat to Oona, describing instead the day-to-day pursuits of someone possessing great status yet no real freedom to act. Interwoven with Oona’s daily existence, he shows Kitlyn ordered to serve Oona yet also abused and mistreated by some of the servants and staff for getting above her status. These parallel views of a world very far from the conflict between nations and free of real danger but with little reminders that the war continues, create both the sense that the princess is spoiled and wilful and build a sense of paranoid and doubt: supposedly, the other side are aware of the prophecy and so seek the death of the princess, but if she’s seen no sign of assassins for all her life are they really out there?
This conflict between Oona’s rejection of her place being possibly self-indulgent and the bases of her duty being possibly a lie expands and shifts as the novel continues, preventing the reader from deciding whether either side of the conflict is right, or even be certain what it is about and what will happen; as such, it avoids the issue that many fantasy prophecies display of telling the reader how things will end before the challenge has begun while also creating a feeling that events have grown from a history as convoluted and conflicting as the real world.
In contrast to the lack of objective facts provided to the reader in the ongoing conflict, the relationship between Oona and Kitlyn displays the dramatic irony and conflict arc of a traditional romance plot: as the point-of-view swaps back and forth between them in successive chapters, they each desperately wish to reveal their love to the other but are constrained by a fear of being seen as disgusting both by their beloved and society. While this failure to just tell each other might cause some readers to wish to bang their heads together or lock them in a room until they figure it out, it also provides an intimate demonstration that the state religion and society that surrounds it are embedded in a way that modern culture and conventions aren’t; thus feeding back into the thread about the holy war against evil neighbours.
Oona and Kitlyn are, while distinct in character, united by the same desire to do the right thing rather than what they are told is the right thing. As such, their naivety and immaturity are underlain by decency and courage, making them feel sympathetic rather than spoilt, petty, or vengeful; similarly, while they are following a prophecy, their challenges are varied and costly, preventing them from slipping into the cliché of “chosen one and trusty companion saving the world”.
The supporting cast are similarly recognisable yet complex. While everyone accepts the prophecy is true, their idea of its fulfilment runs from the mundane dynastic marriage to the apocalyptic scouring of the enemy to its bedrock. Similarly, characters display a spectrum of reactions to romantic relationships both between women and between social classes.
Although same-sex relationships and a society strongly opposed to them on religious grounds power one of the two central conflicts in this novel, so many characters have an opinion, Cox does not ram a message down the readers throat: readers will not be able to cleanly divide the characters into good people and bad depending on whether they are troubled by homosexuality.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking a blend of classic fantasy tropes and nuanced character.
I received a free copy from the author with no obligation to review.
September 11, 2018
Enjoyable reading
It’s not everyday you come across a fantasy story with a female main character who’s just happens love another woman. Princesses, daring deeds, magic, sword fights and true love...it’s all there. I loved the story and found it an enjoyable read, it’s well written and flows well and I can say it’s a recommend read.
It’s not everyday you come across a fantasy story with a female main character who’s just happens love another woman. Princesses, daring deeds, magic, sword fights and true love...it’s all there. I loved the story and found it an enjoyable read, it’s well written and flows well and I can say it’s a recommend read.
October 16, 2018
I found this story to be a beautiful story of love between to woman who are in two very different social classes. One of them is a princess and one is an orphan but they develop a great friendship and then love despite all the hardships that try to break them up. This was a book that I could not put down as I had fun going on the adventure with them once they left the castle.
October 15, 2018
What a wonderful story. This is my first read from this author and I absolutely loved it. It has everything Prince's, Princesses, War, assassins, fantasy creatures, lies, deceit, spies, and so much more. It was such a fantastic world to get lost in for awhile! I would definitely love to see more from these characters!
October 15, 2018
A new author for me, the book was a little slow in thr first half. But we got to know the 2 main characters Oona and Kitlyn and come to find out they're in love and not exactly who they thought they wtw. Over all it's a decent story once you get half way thru the book.
August 21, 2019
This is not your traditional coming of age princess story. Rather it is a story in which the princess refuses to be constrained by the bonds her royal birth has placed upon her young shoulders, not to mention the additional weight that a prophecy which decrees that she will end the war between her nation & another. So her people see her as a savior while the other kingdom sees her as a destroyer and send assassins to destroy her to neutralize the threat she represents to them. Despite all this, Oona is a teenaged girl who just wants to be free from all the constraints that have been forced upon her. Her only true friend, a slave girl named Kilna, proves to be more than just a friend as she struggles to find her own place in a world that wants to keep her bound to her role as defined for her at & by her birth. These girls are amazing and their adventures will draw you in and keep you captivated to the very end. I'm just glad that it doesn't end in this book but that there is another after this. I look forward to reading more
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