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The Taellaneth #1
Concealed
A fragile peace, a suspicious death, and secrets that could destroy everyone.
Oath-bound to the arrogant Erith in exchange for her life, Arrow's freedom is days away when they set her one last task; investigate the death of a high-ranking shape-changer, one of their old enemies.
The shape-changers suspect the Erith of murder and Arrow nearly becomes the first victim in a new war between races. She’s given a chance to seek answers. Except she's digging into secrets someone doesn't want uncovered. Not only is her freedom at risk, but so is her life. It will take all of her skill with magic to live long enough to find the answers in time to avert a bloodbath.
Oath-bound to the arrogant Erith in exchange for her life, Arrow's freedom is days away when they set her one last task; investigate the death of a high-ranking shape-changer, one of their old enemies.
The shape-changers suspect the Erith of murder and Arrow nearly becomes the first victim in a new war between races. She’s given a chance to seek answers. Except she's digging into secrets someone doesn't want uncovered. Not only is her freedom at risk, but so is her life. It will take all of her skill with magic to live long enough to find the answers in time to avert a bloodbath.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2018
371 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Nelson
32 books420 followersI am a fantasy author living in Scotland, United Kingdom and spending my days juggling the demands of an elderly, spoiled cat, two giant dogs and a host of fictional characters.
As far as the cat is concerned, she’s in charge and should always come first. The older dog’s favourite method of getting my attention is a gentle nudge with his head. At least, he would say it’s gentle. And the younger dog's attention-getting method generally involves playing with the loudest squeaky toy he can find.
You can find out more information at the following places:
Website: www.vanessanelsonwrites.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Taellaneth
As far as the cat is concerned, she’s in charge and should always come first. The older dog’s favourite method of getting my attention is a gentle nudge with his head. At least, he would say it’s gentle. And the younger dog's attention-getting method generally involves playing with the loudest squeaky toy he can find.
You can find out more information at the following places:
Website: www.vanessanelsonwrites.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Taellaneth
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
August 23, 2021
I have a friend (hello, Mara) who rarely rates anything higher than three stars. Very rarely. She gave this one four stars. I was intrigued.
I can see why she was engaged. Nelson does some great worldbuilding with some unique characteristics and a heroine who is engaging from the start. Arrow is nearing the end of something like fifteen years of servitude that's near-cousin to slavery. She's oath-bound to obey every/any order by a certain group of "Erith" (kind of fey-like, but not in any literal sense) and that includes the teachers at the magical academy she is attached to. Some of these people are bullies and she has suffered years of physical abuse at their hands and is helpless against them. Which I normally find frustrating but that's mitigated by both the limited timeframe (her term is set to expire "soon") and that the awful terms are explicitly out of fear of her—a fear that is part xenophobia, but part justified because she represents something that's legitimately scary.
During this story, Arrow is jerked between two milieus, one where she's assisting the shifters and finding allies among people who mostly care about getting hard things done and the other where she's involved with academics who have no idea the danger they are in, not least from her. And I really liked Arrow's pragmatism and determination to do good despite her ill-treatment. And I liked seeing people connect as people and gaining mutual respect even when they were so alien.
I'm unsure what to make of how sex is a complete non-entity in this story. Arrow notes the attractiveness of some people (one of the ways the Erith are fey-like is their default beauty), and there's a hint of attraction with the shifter Prime, but one so subtle that I hesitate to even note it at all. But it's even more odd when you consider that Arrow has been abused for over a decade by bullies who she is forced to obey. Absolutely and with no recourse. I find it odd that none of that seems to have had any sexual undertones. And not because she's female so much as because that's a power dynamic that seems inescapably attractive to the kind of bullies we find in her home environment. Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved it isn't there. I don't think this story could have borne the added weight, frankly. But it's obvious enough I can't help thinking there needed to be a reason this wasn't a thing. Maybe?
Anyway, the plot holds together and the pace is amazing and the characters engaging. I'm tempted to downgrade it a bit for the things that are missing. The sex thing above, but also there's a mystery to Arrow's heritage that is never revealed. She seems to understand it, or, at least, is unsurprised when she can do things other cannot. But she doesn't share anything with the reader, and that felt a bit manipulated.
Not tempted enough that I'm not going to give it five stars, though. And without inventing any half-stars and "rounding".
A note about Chaste: This isn't so much chaste as it is completely devoid of anything sexual or even sex related. The story didn't need it, so it's just as well it isn't there.
I can see why she was engaged. Nelson does some great worldbuilding with some unique characteristics and a heroine who is engaging from the start. Arrow is nearing the end of something like fifteen years of servitude that's near-cousin to slavery. She's oath-bound to obey every/any order by a certain group of "Erith" (kind of fey-like, but not in any literal sense) and that includes the teachers at the magical academy she is attached to. Some of these people are bullies and she has suffered years of physical abuse at their hands and is helpless against them. Which I normally find frustrating but that's mitigated by both the limited timeframe (her term is set to expire "soon") and that the awful terms are explicitly out of fear of her—a fear that is part xenophobia, but part justified because she represents something that's legitimately scary.
During this story, Arrow is jerked between two milieus, one where she's assisting the shifters and finding allies among people who mostly care about getting hard things done and the other where she's involved with academics who have no idea the danger they are in, not least from her. And I really liked Arrow's pragmatism and determination to do good despite her ill-treatment. And I liked seeing people connect as people and gaining mutual respect even when they were so alien.
I'm unsure what to make of how sex is a complete non-entity in this story. Arrow notes the attractiveness of some people (one of the ways the Erith are fey-like is their default beauty), and there's a hint of attraction with the shifter Prime, but one so subtle that I hesitate to even note it at all. But it's even more odd when you consider that Arrow has been abused for over a decade by bullies who she is forced to obey. Absolutely and with no recourse. I find it odd that none of that seems to have had any sexual undertones. And not because she's female so much as because that's a power dynamic that seems inescapably attractive to the kind of bullies we find in her home environment. Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved it isn't there. I don't think this story could have borne the added weight, frankly. But it's obvious enough I can't help thinking there needed to be a reason this wasn't a thing. Maybe?
Anyway, the plot holds together and the pace is amazing and the characters engaging. I'm tempted to downgrade it a bit for the things that are missing. The sex thing above, but also there's a mystery to Arrow's heritage that is never revealed. She seems to understand it, or, at least, is unsurprised when she can do things other cannot. But she doesn't share anything with the reader, and that felt a bit manipulated.
Not tempted enough that I'm not going to give it five stars, though. And without inventing any half-stars and "rounding".
A note about Chaste: This isn't so much chaste as it is completely devoid of anything sexual or even sex related. The story didn't need it, so it's just as well it isn't there.
May 23, 2021
"And she did not yield."
Great KU find!
In this story we have out h, Arrow, who is a half human/half Erith mage that has been Oath-bound in service to the Erith. (Think of the Erith as fae-like in that they are a bit arrogant, don't use technology, have a lot of magic, have a connection to the earth, and are a long living race.)
Also being Oath-bound means that Arrow cannot use her magic with out explicit permission, she can't go anywhere with out approval, and has to put up with every shitty request- even to her own detriment and pain- that the Erith give her.
So yeah, she's technically not even seen as a person by her own people. In fact they often call her an abomination or an 'it' and treat her like a slave.
However, Arrow is so close to the end of her servitude when the Teallaneth (which I think is what the Erith call their Heads of noble families that are kind of like government representatives?) send her on a mission to help the shiftkin Prime Zachary (kinda like the Alpha of all Alphas) find out who killed his mate.
Considering the two races are not on the best terms, and the shift kin have suspicions as to Erith's involvement in the death-they send Arrow in their stead. However, Arrow sees the Teallaneth's manipulation for what it really is. She is considered expendable, so if the Prime kills her they don't loose a valued member, and are absolved of any guilt for not helping.
However, on the contrary, when the powerful and dangerous Prime takes Arrow's offer for help seriously- this decision changes the course of everything. New secrets are discovered, conspiracies are unraveled, dangerous enemies are revealed, and fortuitous alliances are formed.
So yeah, if you have KU def check this one out!
I liked the world building, the magic system, and the characters. Also, I was thankful that the author gave us a bit of a glossary at the start to help the readers keep up with who was who!
May 26, 2022
What a lucky find! 😍😍😍.
A very interesting urban fantasy story!
The heroine is a war mage who lives in a bigoted race which treats her so badly because of her mixed race.
No romance in it yet, and from the reviews, the romance is not much to shout about but the hero is already there 😘.
I probably will write full review after I finished these five books series.
Btw, it you are a fan of TA. White, you need to check this series out!
Continue to book #2.
❤️❤️❤️
A very interesting urban fantasy story!
The heroine is a war mage who lives in a bigoted race which treats her so badly because of her mixed race.
No romance in it yet, and from the reviews, the romance is not much to shout about but the hero is already there 😘.
I probably will write full review after I finished these five books series.
Btw, it you are a fan of TA. White, you need to check this series out!
Continue to book #2.
❤️❤️❤️
March 27, 2025
4.5/5.0
Surprisingly great first book in a series! I have never heard of this author before so this was a first for me, as well, and I am delightedly excited I tried this one! The writing is full-flavored with depth and intrigue, and the characters well-formed and extremely interesting.
The story almost reads as a mystery yet with enough action to keep it firmly in the Urban fantasy realm. That is another thing that was a bit of a surprise for me, though. I went into the story pretty much blind and assumed it was a straight fantasy (judging by the cover and the title). It even reads that way at first, considering it begins in kind of a fae-like realm set against the human and shifter world. It wasn’t until Arrow left the walls of her realm and hopped into a car that I realized it is actually Urban Fantasy! From that point, Arrow is decidedly in the contemporary world of humans (along with shifters) and only periodically goes back to her area that seems so otherworldly.
ANYHOO…. It was all kinds of interesting and fun to read! I adore Arrow, admire her courageous, yet pragmatic approach to everything in her life… Although I have found that the older I get the more reading about abuse against anyone affects and upsets me. It always has but, I guess the longer one lives the more realistic it becomes - and the harder it is to read about. Arrow is abused terribly in this first book, yet stoically endures and accepts it…. I just didn’t.
The only part that was really odd (and the reason I rounded down to four rather than up to five) is the absolute dearth of any physical attraction, sexual tension or mention of ANY kind! It was weird, quite frankly. I don’t need a book to be romance by any stretch of the imagination but having absolutely NO hint of even any attraction to others is jarring. Sexual attraction is such an ingrained reaction in real life and relationships are such a foundation to any society that the absolute lack of anything left a hole. This holds true even if it is a negative - which with Arrow being basically a slave who is not allowed to say no to her “betters” and live, made the lack even more obvious. Still, the overall story was SO good, that it was a small hole, I’ll admit - but it is noticeable nonetheless.
And did I mention I LOVED the story? Oh yeah, I did. So, I’m off to dive into the second book! (Man, I love it when I can binge!)
Surprisingly great first book in a series! I have never heard of this author before so this was a first for me, as well, and I am delightedly excited I tried this one! The writing is full-flavored with depth and intrigue, and the characters well-formed and extremely interesting.
The story almost reads as a mystery yet with enough action to keep it firmly in the Urban fantasy realm. That is another thing that was a bit of a surprise for me, though. I went into the story pretty much blind and assumed it was a straight fantasy (judging by the cover and the title). It even reads that way at first, considering it begins in kind of a fae-like realm set against the human and shifter world. It wasn’t until Arrow left the walls of her realm and hopped into a car that I realized it is actually Urban Fantasy! From that point, Arrow is decidedly in the contemporary world of humans (along with shifters) and only periodically goes back to her area that seems so otherworldly.
ANYHOO…. It was all kinds of interesting and fun to read! I adore Arrow, admire her courageous, yet pragmatic approach to everything in her life… Although I have found that the older I get the more reading about abuse against anyone affects and upsets me. It always has but, I guess the longer one lives the more realistic it becomes - and the harder it is to read about. Arrow is abused terribly in this first book, yet stoically endures and accepts it…. I just didn’t.
The only part that was really odd (and the reason I rounded down to four rather than up to five) is the absolute dearth of any physical attraction, sexual tension or mention of ANY kind! It was weird, quite frankly. I don’t need a book to be romance by any stretch of the imagination but having absolutely NO hint of even any attraction to others is jarring. Sexual attraction is such an ingrained reaction in real life and relationships are such a foundation to any society that the absolute lack of anything left a hole. This holds true even if it is a negative - which with Arrow being basically a slave who is not allowed to say no to her “betters” and live, made the lack even more obvious. Still, the overall story was SO good, that it was a small hole, I’ll admit - but it is noticeable nonetheless.
And did I mention I LOVED the story? Oh yeah, I did. So, I’m off to dive into the second book! (Man, I love it when I can binge!)
August 14, 2021
Well,I noticed a few of my GR friends gobbling up the books by this author so thought I’d check it out.
I really enjoyed this interesting fantasy. A meld of different types of lore; shapeshifters, modern-ish humans, some kind of fae-ish people, and lots of magic. I really liked the main character, Arrow, and some of the allies she made along the way.
On to book 2.
I really enjoyed this interesting fantasy. A meld of different types of lore; shapeshifters, modern-ish humans, some kind of fae-ish people, and lots of magic. I really liked the main character, Arrow, and some of the allies she made along the way.
On to book 2.
March 26, 2025
I loved this. The world building was fascinating and unique, a mash up of fantasy (the FMC lives in a kind of subset of the world, with a people called Erith, who are sort of fae) and UF (when you leave that subset realm, you're in a fairly modern human world, with cell phones, cars, TVs, etc).
The FMC is part Erith, but as a people they are fucking snobs who treat her as dangerous dirt. She doesn't know her lineage, but they fear her, and have bound her as a slave. Honestly, it would be intolerable to me if not for the fact that the binding was for a limited duration, and she's days away from it ending. She's a powerful magic user, so they've trained her at their academy so that she can be the most useful slave they can make her, but again, she's days from her power being under her control.
Aside from the shitty bullies in the Erith, I enjoyed the cast. We have a race of shifters - called shifkin - who are investigating the death of their leader's mate. And we have warriors of the Erith - the White Guard - who perhaps respect our FMC more than their snobby society allows them to express openly.
Super excited to continue onward.
The FMC is part Erith, but as a people they are fucking snobs who treat her as dangerous dirt. She doesn't know her lineage, but they fear her, and have bound her as a slave. Honestly, it would be intolerable to me if not for the fact that the binding was for a limited duration, and she's days away from it ending. She's a powerful magic user, so they've trained her at their academy so that she can be the most useful slave they can make her, but again, she's days from her power being under her control.
Aside from the shitty bullies in the Erith, I enjoyed the cast. We have a race of shifters - called shifkin - who are investigating the death of their leader's mate. And we have warriors of the Erith - the White Guard - who perhaps respect our FMC more than their snobby society allows them to express openly.
Super excited to continue onward.
May 26, 2022
This urban fantasy book has zero romance, but it was still SO GOOD. For this genre, I haven’t enjoyed a new series this much in quite a while! I absolutely will be picking up the next one.
I will say the ending of this was a little bit of a letdown compared to how much I loved the first 3/4ths of the book, but I’m willing to over look it.
I will say the ending of this was a little bit of a letdown compared to how much I loved the first 3/4ths of the book, but I’m willing to over look it.
September 11, 2018
4.5 stars... an unexpectedly enjoyable story!
Wow, I was kind of blown away by this one. I'm not even sure how I came upon this, except it must have popped up somewhere in my KU suggestions. It had very few reviews on both amazon and GR, but I downloaded it awhile back, thinking meh... maybe I'll give it a try at some point.
Well, I am so glad I did as this is definitely one of those rare, hidden KU gems!
The MC Arrow, is a half-breed - part Erith (a long loved race of beings with magic), part human, but because of her human part, she is considered an abomination by the rest of the Erith. In fact, her name is actually derived from the Erith word for abomination and many of the Erith refer to her as an "it". Because of this, she was given a choice when she was young - death or an oath of service to the Erith for 15 years. The only positive she received from this oath, was magic training at their academy, but it is obvious her life up until this point has not been easy. There were a few times I totally got the feels for Arrow and the life she was stuck with.
Arrow was an unexpected surprise as a character. She was so well written, with a lot of depth. Outwardly, she is respectful, highly conscious of following protocol, and complaint when it comes to the Erith, but you get the glimpses of her inward rebellion through out the book and can see the bad ass character she is destined to grow into as the series progresses.
The supporting characters were good, and I hope to see more development with some of these characters in future books. This is probably also the reason I didn't give this book 5 stars... there is NO romance, and none even really hinted at and I do like to see my bad ass female characters find love. I think it actually works for this book though as Arrow has never actually had any control over her own life, so she is not really ready for it anyway, she has really had no friends to this point let alone even contemplated a relationship. Although, I have a feeling hope that a relationship will start to blossom with a certain shifkin.
The world building is good for a first book, not too much detail bogging you down, but enough that you get the feeling for the 3 main races (human, shifkin, and Erith), some of their histories, and how they all fit into the current world together. The plot is fast paced and exciting, a murder mystery of sorts in which Arrow is tasked with assisting the shifkin in discovering who killed one of theirs. The book wraps up nicely (no cliffhanger), although there is definitely insinuation that things are far from over.
I do hope the next books continue to be of this caliber as I really enjoy reading about Arrow and want to see what happens when she is finally free from her servitude and allowed to really discover the person she is destined to become.
Wow, I was kind of blown away by this one. I'm not even sure how I came upon this, except it must have popped up somewhere in my KU suggestions. It had very few reviews on both amazon and GR, but I downloaded it awhile back, thinking meh... maybe I'll give it a try at some point.
Well, I am so glad I did as this is definitely one of those rare, hidden KU gems!
The MC Arrow, is a half-breed - part Erith (a long loved race of beings with magic), part human, but because of her human part, she is considered an abomination by the rest of the Erith. In fact, her name is actually derived from the Erith word for abomination and many of the Erith refer to her as an "it". Because of this, she was given a choice when she was young - death or an oath of service to the Erith for 15 years. The only positive she received from this oath, was magic training at their academy, but it is obvious her life up until this point has not been easy. There were a few times I totally got the feels for Arrow and the life she was stuck with.
Arrow was an unexpected surprise as a character. She was so well written, with a lot of depth. Outwardly, she is respectful, highly conscious of following protocol, and complaint when it comes to the Erith, but you get the glimpses of her inward rebellion through out the book and can see the bad ass character she is destined to grow into as the series progresses.
The supporting characters were good, and I hope to see more development with some of these characters in future books. This is probably also the reason I didn't give this book 5 stars... there is NO romance, and none even really hinted at and I do like to see my bad ass female characters find love. I think it actually works for this book though as Arrow has never actually had any control over her own life, so she is not really ready for it anyway, she has really had no friends to this point let alone even contemplated a relationship. Although, I have
The world building is good for a first book, not too much detail bogging you down, but enough that you get the feeling for the 3 main races (human, shifkin, and Erith), some of their histories, and how they all fit into the current world together. The plot is fast paced and exciting, a murder mystery of sorts in which Arrow is tasked with assisting the shifkin in discovering who killed one of theirs. The book wraps up nicely (no cliffhanger), although there is definitely insinuation that things are far from over.
I do hope the next books continue to be of this caliber as I really enjoy reading about Arrow and want to see what happens when she is finally free from her servitude and allowed to really discover the person she is destined to become.
June 6, 2021
Good! But the lack of romance is a drag for me. I keep expecting something and then have to remind myself that this isn’t that kind of book! Also I found out who she gets with, maybe, in the next books and I’m not impressed. So, I’m holding off on continuing the series.
August 6, 2021
3.5
I’m gorging on this author’s books and I can’t seem to stop. Yum
I’m gorging on this author’s books and I can’t seem to stop. Yum
August 28, 2021
Fast-paced urban-ish fantasy that starts on a grim note but then friendship-alliances are formed yay! Absolutely no romance in this one but I'm hopeful that a found family is forming.
CW: body horror, murder, bullying
CW: body horror, murder, bullying
August 9, 2021
This author’s books are addictive. It’s a shame real life intrudes on my reading…
May 19, 2024
Genre:- Fantasy
✅️ Magic and Magical beings
✅️ Shifters
✅️ World Building
✅️ Childhood trauma (Discrimination, Violence)
✅️ Slavery
✅️ Single POV
❌️ Romance
FMC/ ARROW:- A mixed breed, Arrow is discriminated against by her fellow Erith. She entered a 15-year slavery contract with the race to keep herself alive. The contract is mere days from ending when the Erith give her a final life-threatening task.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ROMANCE IN THIS BOOK. I have obviously read ahead and finished THE NEXT book. SO...
MMC/ 🙄:-
⬇️⬇️ SPOILER⬇️⬇️
For some reason, yours truly expected the romance lead to be the Prime of shifkin, Zachary, once the situation with his mate became clear. I was all for it too. (Idiot, I know) But Kester? Kester is the romance lead? How did that happen? When did that happen? He was a decent one sure, but Kester?
⬆️⬆️SPOILER⬆️⬆️
REVIEW
Good plot. Great characters. Decent world-building. Written pretty well, though in some places the prose is extra and not needed, or simply contradictory. And in some places it is inspiring.
I think Vanessa Nelson's specializes in weaving intricate main leads, with a quest for a plot—an adventure that would see them liberated and grow out of their trauma. This was no less, no more. Though it had pomp and flair during the third act climax. I loved that.
I do recommend it for the plot. It is engagaing and fascinating.
✅️ Magic and Magical beings
✅️ Shifters
✅️ World Building
✅️ Childhood trauma (Discrimination, Violence)
✅️ Slavery
✅️ Single POV
❌️ Romance
FMC/ ARROW:- A mixed breed, Arrow is discriminated against by her fellow Erith. She entered a 15-year slavery contract with the race to keep herself alive. The contract is mere days from ending when the Erith give her a final life-threatening task.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ROMANCE IN THIS BOOK. I have obviously read ahead and finished THE NEXT book. SO...
MMC/ 🙄:-
⬇️⬇️ SPOILER⬇️⬇️
For some reason, yours truly expected the romance lead to be the Prime of shifkin, Zachary, once the situation with his mate became clear. I was all for it too. (Idiot, I know) But Kester? Kester is the romance lead? How did that happen? When did that happen? He was a decent one sure, but Kester?
⬆️⬆️SPOILER⬆️⬆️
REVIEW
Good plot. Great characters. Decent world-building. Written pretty well, though in some places the prose is extra and not needed, or simply contradictory. And in some places it is inspiring.
I think Vanessa Nelson's specializes in weaving intricate main leads, with a quest for a plot—an adventure that would see them liberated and grow out of their trauma. This was no less, no more. Though it had pomp and flair during the third act climax. I loved that.
I do recommend it for the plot. It is engagaing and fascinating.
dnf
October 8, 2021Rarely do I DNF a book before I even begin. Honestly though, when I am expected to go through a glossary and a cast of characters BEFORE I can get to Chapter One, I start to feel like it is not even worth the trouble. Authors, if you have to rely on a Cast of Characters before I can get started it tells me that you were too lazy to describe what you were supposed to be describing in the book. It also tells me that I'm probably not going to be able to follow who's who because I have no context to figure out who any of these people are and yet I'm supposed to commit them to memory before your book makes sense. It was really discouraging - especially since some reviewers I adore liked and recommended this book.
I'm not going to star this book since me having a total rage-out when I didn't even technically start reading isn't really fair to the book or the author.
I'm not going to star this book since me having a total rage-out when I didn't even technically start reading isn't really fair to the book or the author.
July 4, 2022
2.6
This was a decent read. The story itself was quite good and held my interest well. My biggest hang-ups were more with the author's writing style. The sentence structure was odd. Sometimes there would be long, run-on sentences, that were a bit discombobulating. Other times, the author made the sentences staccato fragments. The dramatic style didn't always suit the plot and there were simply too many times where I was left feeling confused, needing to re-read a sentence or two just to understand the book. I also wish there had been more world-building. The exposition was fairly slow in general, but the world-building was more unfinished in my mind. The author managed to build up the conflicts fairly well, but I still can't grasp the greater rules of this created world. It didn't help that the author clearly wants to withhold some of the drama surrounding Arrow and her history and circumstances, presumably for future books, but it made the world murky during this book.
This was a decent read. The story itself was quite good and held my interest well. My biggest hang-ups were more with the author's writing style. The sentence structure was odd. Sometimes there would be long, run-on sentences, that were a bit discombobulating. Other times, the author made the sentences staccato fragments. The dramatic style didn't always suit the plot and there were simply too many times where I was left feeling confused, needing to re-read a sentence or two just to understand the book. I also wish there had been more world-building. The exposition was fairly slow in general, but the world-building was more unfinished in my mind. The author managed to build up the conflicts fairly well, but I still can't grasp the greater rules of this created world. It didn't help that the author clearly wants to withhold some of the drama surrounding Arrow and her history and circumstances, presumably for future books, but it made the world murky during this book.
June 24, 2024
I wasn't expecting this series to turn out to be such a jem of a find. As usual I was impatient and finished the series before coming here to rate it. So this opinion is on the whole of the series. It had a nice satisfactory ending that tied up almost all of the plot points.
I had only one annoyance , I'd be shocked if I can't find anything to bitch about, and that was the repetitive and to be quite frank, weird usage of the word "Erith". Erith is the name of one the races in the book and our heroine belongs to it. Everything is described as Erith this Erith that. Every single time. Erith woman, Erith blood, Erith dead, Erith tea, Erith horse, Erith arse. Heh.
Such a versatile and necessary word, in author's opinion. Almost as much as the word "fuck". Erithing erithed up erithers.
I had only one annoyance , I'd be shocked if I can't find anything to bitch about, and that was the repetitive and to be quite frank, weird usage of the word "Erith". Erith is the name of one the races in the book and our heroine belongs to it. Everything is described as Erith this Erith that. Every single time. Erith woman, Erith blood, Erith dead, Erith tea, Erith horse, Erith arse. Heh.
Such a versatile and necessary word, in author's opinion. Almost as much as the word "fuck". Erithing erithed up erithers.
September 29, 2020
Really loved this series, from the plot to the world building to the magic system, just great. This first book is soooo frustrating because of how helpless and oppressed the main character is. It gets better (around the last 3 books) although I would’ve loved to see some head crushing for some characters 🤗
May 8, 2021
An excellent read
A well written and fast paced action packed story. The world building was excellent and the characters were engaging. A very imaginative and enjoyable read. I can't wait to read the next book.
A well written and fast paced action packed story. The world building was excellent and the characters were engaging. A very imaginative and enjoyable read. I can't wait to read the next book.
April 25, 2025
Oh Arrow is such a complex character. Shunned, treated like dirt because of her mixed status, denied her rightful place, forced to perform tasks for a race that hates her and calls her an “it”. The Erith is concerned with purity of their race and Arrow is not so she has been keeping a secret from them that’s sure to lead to her death if found out. The Precepter sends Arrow out on a mission to investigate the death of a “Kin” woman, the mate of a prime and what a journey for Arrow. Arrow finds some courage, some backbone, and … friends sho shows her loyalty for the first time in her life.
January 7, 2022
There are a lot of questions that I still have, but I have faith that they'll be answered in the next book. I enjoyed seeing the partnership between the 2 opposing races. I do wish we were able to better get into Arrow's head. Even though the book is in her POV it felt like we were left guessing sometimes as to what was going on internally with her. The world building was nice, but I would like to see more in the next book.
Overall:
World building: 3 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Overall:
World building: 3 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
March 17, 2020
GREAT SERIES ALL FIVE.
So I read all 5 & enjoyed each one. Very ingenious magic, magic users & populations. I especially enjoyed the diverse cultures that were introduced well and seamlessly. I have not read Ms Vanessa before , but she's Scottish & I wanna be, distantly related lol. I very much liked her handling of courtship & the respect she gives to the importance of being honest to others & yourself. Both her SERIES so far this & The Hundred (3 of 5 complete) show the incredible depth of friendships, strength of character, respecting others, kindness & a innate belief that we can all make a difference in the world we live in. That being said, this is not a cotton candy sweet, bleh story but incredibly action filled & plot rich. Try her books, she promises to be another great storyteller
So I read all 5 & enjoyed each one. Very ingenious magic, magic users & populations. I especially enjoyed the diverse cultures that were introduced well and seamlessly. I have not read Ms Vanessa before , but she's Scottish & I wanna be, distantly related lol. I very much liked her handling of courtship & the respect she gives to the importance of being honest to others & yourself. Both her SERIES so far this & The Hundred (3 of 5 complete) show the incredible depth of friendships, strength of character, respecting others, kindness & a innate belief that we can all make a difference in the world we live in. That being said, this is not a cotton candy sweet, bleh story but incredibly action filled & plot rich. Try her books, she promises to be another great storyteller
January 16, 2019
Different and inventive
The main character Arrow will almost immediately wrap you up in her story. Strong and courageous, hated by her own people, and trying to survive an assignment to help their previous enemy. Magic, battles, intrigue and unexpected friends. A series opener that leaves the reader wanting more.
The main character Arrow will almost immediately wrap you up in her story. Strong and courageous, hated by her own people, and trying to survive an assignment to help their previous enemy. Magic, battles, intrigue and unexpected friends. A series opener that leaves the reader wanting more.
September 16, 2019
A great bit of fantasy - this book ticked all the boxes on the sort of story I was looking for.
January 17, 2024
Lost one star to sooo many sentences being cut short. It was very repetitive. I got lost in a LOT of descriptions because I think they needed better editing. And the world building needed some work, BUT it was fun and engaging and I really liked the characters’ personalities. It was sooooo incredibly nice to not have the FMC fawning over someone for once. So possible future romance? But not much in this book which I was okay with.
February 20, 2023
Cool (if a tad confusing) world building, with modern-day humans and their technology meeting shifters and some sort of magical elves. I’m not sure I’ve read anything quite like it before. The abuse Arrow suffers under the Erith is a bit too much at times and makes me really want to see her get her comeuppance. Alas, in a future book I hope. The plot is passable and characters interesting. Will hop on to the next one immediately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2024
great start to the series!! but not super memorable in retrospect
May 28, 2023
(4.5 stars) - same but different
When I first saw this book, I passed it by because it didn't sound like my kind of read. However, having just read _Outcast_ by this author & loving it, I decided to try some of her other books while waiting for her next.
I wasn't far into the story when I realized the Taellan of Erlith are basically fae & the Shifkin are wolf shifters. The author has built her own version, though, so it's both a familiar favorite & yet unique at the same time.
Some aspects of the plot were a little weak, or perhaps rough, & I had hoped we'd know more about Arrow by the end, but it was still intriguing & kept me eagerly all the way through. Needless to say, I'm on my way to book 2...
*** CONTENT ***
Sex: none; there's a secondary character who leaves her husband to be with a woman, but it's presented normally rather than righteously; no romance, though there are a few future possibilities
Violence: there's bullying on a pathological level, & the villain does some pretty awful things, but there are no graphic descriptions, & it's not hard to read it objectively as needed
When I first saw this book, I passed it by because it didn't sound like my kind of read. However, having just read _Outcast_ by this author & loving it, I decided to try some of her other books while waiting for her next.
I wasn't far into the story when I realized the Taellan of Erlith are basically fae & the Shifkin are wolf shifters. The author has built her own version, though, so it's both a familiar favorite & yet unique at the same time.
Some aspects of the plot were a little weak, or perhaps rough, & I had hoped we'd know more about Arrow by the end, but it was still intriguing & kept me eagerly all the way through. Needless to say, I'm on my way to book 2...
*** CONTENT ***
Sex: none; there's a secondary character who leaves her husband to be with a woman, but it's presented normally rather than righteously; no romance, though there are a few future possibilities
Violence: there's bullying on a pathological level, & the villain does some pretty awful things, but there are no graphic descriptions, & it's not hard to read it objectively as needed
August 23, 2021
KU read
I picked this one up from the line "If you like your fantasy mixed with mystery and spells" and it delivered on that pretty well. It's a kick ass FL struggling to find her place in the world, but committed to upholding her promises and responsibilities. I really liked Arrow, she had the right mix of skills, insecurity and gumption to get through the mystery.
World building was a bit shaky here and there and I struggled to pick out some the individual characters over the random bits ofElvish, urm, "Erith". But the mystery made sense (if a bit clunky in resolution) and I suspect book 2 will help build the world a bit more
Mystery is complete (with clear hanging threads set up for book 2); but the book did end a bit abruptly. Will try book 2, I think
I picked this one up from the line "If you like your fantasy mixed with mystery and spells" and it delivered on that pretty well. It's a kick ass FL struggling to find her place in the world, but committed to upholding her promises and responsibilities. I really liked Arrow, she had the right mix of skills, insecurity and gumption to get through the mystery.
World building was a bit shaky here and there and I struggled to pick out some the individual characters over the random bits of
Mystery is complete (with clear hanging threads set up for book 2); but the book did end a bit abruptly. Will try book 2, I think
October 12, 2024
Loved this! I loved how contained the indentured - enslaved? - Arrow was, and how committed she was to finish her servitude with honour and integrity, even though she didn't have a choice.
This had no romance or sex whatsoever, mainly because the Erith, the magical beings that have control over Arrow, see her as a thing and not a person. But as they send her to investigate matters with the Shifkin, who don't trust her at all, she builds some relationships that maybe & hopefully will move forward in future books.
Needless to say, I will be continuing the series and can't wait to see how Arrow experiences free will for the first time in her life. Also to see who and what exactly Arrow is!
This had no romance or sex whatsoever, mainly because the Erith, the magical beings that have control over Arrow, see her as a thing and not a person. But as they send her to investigate matters with the Shifkin, who don't trust her at all, she builds some relationships that maybe & hopefully will move forward in future books.
Needless to say, I will be continuing the series and can't wait to see how Arrow experiences free will for the first time in her life. Also to see who and what exactly Arrow is!
December 10, 2021
I liked the main character, magic system and the mixed fantasy/modern setting.
The pacing was good right from the first chapter, with world building details doled out as needed in every chapter.
I couldn't stand the constant discrimination though, so I don't think I'll read the rest of the series.
The pacing was good right from the first chapter, with world building details doled out as needed in every chapter.
I couldn't stand the constant discrimination though, so I don't think I'll read the rest of the series.
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