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The Relic Trilogy #1
Relic
In the city of Edriast, there is no deadlier duty than to serve as the Shadow.
As the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard, the Shadow’s life is all but forfeit. Rennard possesses one of five rare and dangerous Relics – a jewel that protects his bloodline, but slowly poisons everyone else in its proximity. When the current Shadow succumbs to its magic, nineteen-year-old blacksmith Kaylan is summoned to take his place.
It’s an appointment that will kill her.
As the time Kaylan has left ebbs away, hope begins to fade… That is, until she discovers a plot to destroy all five bloodlines in possession of the Relics.
A rebel force plans to put an end to Rennard's rule and Kaylan suddenly finds herself embroiled in a cause that might just be worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs…
As her life hangs in the balance and rebellion bears down on Edriast, Kaylan must decide where her loyalties lie – and how she’ll leave her mark on the world.
Relic is the absorbing first novel in The Relic Trilogy, a thrillingly dark YA fantasy series from Talem Press.
As the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard, the Shadow’s life is all but forfeit. Rennard possesses one of five rare and dangerous Relics – a jewel that protects his bloodline, but slowly poisons everyone else in its proximity. When the current Shadow succumbs to its magic, nineteen-year-old blacksmith Kaylan is summoned to take his place.
It’s an appointment that will kill her.
As the time Kaylan has left ebbs away, hope begins to fade… That is, until she discovers a plot to destroy all five bloodlines in possession of the Relics.
A rebel force plans to put an end to Rennard's rule and Kaylan suddenly finds herself embroiled in a cause that might just be worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs…
As her life hangs in the balance and rebellion bears down on Edriast, Kaylan must decide where her loyalties lie – and how she’ll leave her mark on the world.
Relic is the absorbing first novel in The Relic Trilogy, a thrillingly dark YA fantasy series from Talem Press.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2019
311 people are currently reading
1320 people want to read
About the author
Bronwyn Eley
8 books90 followersI'm a fantasy author of YA and Romantasy books, born in Australia but currently living in Edinburgh, Scotland.
My debut series THE RELIC TRILOGY is a YA series published by Talem Press, perfect for anyone who loves dark fantasy, strong heroines and dark magic.
My upcoming book THE RULE is coming in March 2025 from Pantera Press, the first in a duology. This romantasy series is 'Nevernight' meets Miss Congeniality, perfect for lovers of dramatic magic, assassins and atmospheric settings.
My debut series THE RELIC TRILOGY is a YA series published by Talem Press, perfect for anyone who loves dark fantasy, strong heroines and dark magic.
My upcoming book THE RULE is coming in March 2025 from Pantera Press, the first in a duology. This romantasy series is 'Nevernight' meets Miss Congeniality, perfect for lovers of dramatic magic, assassins and atmospheric settings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
August 21, 2019
"Power is a seductive thing."
I'm just going to put this out there...2019 is the year of some seriously awesome debuts! Relic was an enjoyable read from start to finish that left me eager for the next book in this trilogy, especially after how action packed and fast paced the ending was. Kaylan, lives in a ruthless world where children are forced to grow up too quickly and live in a constant fear of being chosen as the next Shadow, which is essentially the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard who rules over Edriast. A shadow's life span is typically cut extremely short due to the poisonous effects of a jewel the lord wears to protect their bloodline which is called a relic. When Kaylan is selected as the next Shadow she has no idea about the secrets, deception, friendships, maybe a little something more than a friendship if you catch my drift, and rebellion that's waiting for her until she's in way too far over her head.
"Gone were the two little girls who would chase each other through the streets until their parents came looking for them at sundown. Gone were the dreams of what we might be when we grew up. What had this city turned us into? Nothing but puppets to a grand master"
I really enjoyed how above all else family and friends were a large emphasis of this book. Yes, there is romance but it was done so right that it doesn't feel like it overshadows any part of the story. Kaylan, is the type of person who will do whatever it takes to ensure her friends and family are safe, and even though her time is dwindling and she's beginning to question what's real and what isn't she never loses sight that family is the most important thing above all else. It was so easy to root for Kaylan throughout the story for this fact alone. However, another large reason why I loved Kaylan's character is because even when she does find out about the rebellious group that is planning to take over all five of the of Relics, she is not quick to join their force. I think this was a very interesting move since usually in fantasy novels the MC is always quick to jump in the rebels, but not in this case. Kaylan doesn't want innocent blood spilled on either side, so I'm very curious to see if she'll stick to that...especially after the ending! No spoilers though 😉
"Soon enough, the power he wore around his neck would rip through my body and I would become just another name on that list of forgotten souls."
My only issues throughout this book, which were very minor, were that the pacing felt a little off at times and I would have liked to see more of the rebellion. I think the author did a really good job at setting this book up for the next one but the action really only started about halfway into the book and even then the jaw-dropping plot twists were towards the last five percent of the book. It didn't really take much away from the story since I was still so invested in the characters but I wish some parts had a tiny bit more going for them. Also, this book does have some parts that may be triggering to some readers, however, they can be a bit spoiler-y so if that is something you are concerned about we can always discuss them privately!
All in all, I'm really happy that I decided to give this debut novel a chance and I'm already excited to see where the sequel will take Kaylan. I think the author did a phenomenal job setting this story up for the sequel and it has so much potential to be amazing. This is definitely a dark fantasy that will have you clutching your book at the very end and dying for more!
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I'm just going to put this out there...2019 is the year of some seriously awesome debuts! Relic was an enjoyable read from start to finish that left me eager for the next book in this trilogy, especially after how action packed and fast paced the ending was. Kaylan, lives in a ruthless world where children are forced to grow up too quickly and live in a constant fear of being chosen as the next Shadow, which is essentially the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard who rules over Edriast. A shadow's life span is typically cut extremely short due to the poisonous effects of a jewel the lord wears to protect their bloodline which is called a relic. When Kaylan is selected as the next Shadow she has no idea about the secrets, deception, friendships, maybe a little something more than a friendship if you catch my drift, and rebellion that's waiting for her until she's in way too far over her head.
"Gone were the two little girls who would chase each other through the streets until their parents came looking for them at sundown. Gone were the dreams of what we might be when we grew up. What had this city turned us into? Nothing but puppets to a grand master"
I really enjoyed how above all else family and friends were a large emphasis of this book. Yes, there is romance but it was done so right that it doesn't feel like it overshadows any part of the story. Kaylan, is the type of person who will do whatever it takes to ensure her friends and family are safe, and even though her time is dwindling and she's beginning to question what's real and what isn't she never loses sight that family is the most important thing above all else. It was so easy to root for Kaylan throughout the story for this fact alone. However, another large reason why I loved Kaylan's character is because even when she does find out about the rebellious group that is planning to take over all five of the of Relics, she is not quick to join their force. I think this was a very interesting move since usually in fantasy novels the MC is always quick to jump in the rebels, but not in this case. Kaylan doesn't want innocent blood spilled on either side, so I'm very curious to see if she'll stick to that...especially after the ending! No spoilers though 😉
"Soon enough, the power he wore around his neck would rip through my body and I would become just another name on that list of forgotten souls."
My only issues throughout this book, which were very minor, were that the pacing felt a little off at times and I would have liked to see more of the rebellion. I think the author did a really good job at setting this book up for the next one but the action really only started about halfway into the book and even then the jaw-dropping plot twists were towards the last five percent of the book. It didn't really take much away from the story since I was still so invested in the characters but I wish some parts had a tiny bit more going for them. Also, this book does have some parts that may be triggering to some readers, however, they can be a bit spoiler-y so if that is something you are concerned about we can always discuss them privately!
All in all, I'm really happy that I decided to give this debut novel a chance and I'm already excited to see where the sequel will take Kaylan. I think the author did a phenomenal job setting this story up for the sequel and it has so much potential to be amazing. This is definitely a dark fantasy that will have you clutching your book at the very end and dying for more!
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August 7, 2019
It’s probably more of a 3.5 but I wasn’t impressed enough to give it a 4.
I am used to requesting advance copies from Netgalley, so when I got the email from the publisher themselves to review this debut YA fantasy novel, I was very excited. And I’m glad that despite taking me a while, this was a good read.
The first thing I look for in any new fantasy series is a well developed world. In this one, we are mostly relegated to the city of Edriast but we get to explore a lot of it. I could really picture the various places and streets and the keep of the Lord and I thought that was wonderful. There is a map of the city at the beginning of the book but I didn’t find it to be very clear or helpful. The main magic in this story is limited to the Relic which is in the possession of the Lord, and while we do get to know some information about how the Relics came into existence, we are never told anything else about the how or why of the magic. While I guess it was a necessary choice for the story to keep our main character ignorant about the magic and I understood it narratively, it still left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.
I’m a huge fan of YA fantasies and I usually tend to devour them in a day, but this one took me a few days because it was a little slow paced. All the events mentioned in the blurb take almost about half of the book to happen, so it felt slightly predictable at times. There is a lot of talk about a rebellion happening against the Lord but we never get to see any actual rebel attempts. There is also zero action in this installment - not that it is necessary but I guess I’ve just come to expect atleast some action sequences in every fantasy novel. The story here mainly focuses on our main character’s daily life and the ways in which she is being affected due to her new position as the Lord’s Shadow. This makes for a great character arc and we really get to know her deeply and I surely enjoyed that. But it also means we are limited to her story and what she knows, and never get a bigger picture of what’s happening outside. And while I did expect that there would be an explosive ending, what happened left me totally stunned coz I did not see that coming. It was really a shock and I had to take a breather to absorb what happened, which is a testament to the author’s writing talent.
Kaylen is an easy character to sympathize with because of her predicament. She is a loyal and compassionate person who adores her family and is completely distraught when she is chosen as the Shadow. And while most would have succumbed to the hopelessness of it, she never lets go of the idea that maybe she could change her fate or atleast those who might come after her. She doesn’t want to make friends but she can’t keep them away because she really craves some human connection. I really liked her developing friendships with both Jesper and Markus and their scenes together were some of my favorites in the book. On the other hand, reading about the havoc that the Relic unleashes on her both physically and mentally is very painful and excruciating. The author very masterfully describes her hallucinations, the way she loses her grip on reality and how much it leaches her hope, making us feel everything that Kaylen is feeling. There are some violent scenes which were particularly difficult, but the author does a great job showing us the truth about what’s happening to her. And that’s why what happened towards the end is a master stroke, because it gives a very new direction to Kaylen’s story and it’s quite interesting to guess where she goes next.
We only get glimpses of the other characters through Kaylen’s eyes but it was nice to see her bonds with everyone, some friendly and some antagonistic but still important for her. Markus was the one I liked the most because he seems like a very nice guy who just wants to protect his little sister. Jesper is an interesting woman and I could never totally understand her motivations, but it was nice to see a strong female friendship develop in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Lord Rennard was not the typical villain whom I could just hate on sight and it was very fascinating to try to figure out how much of his cruelty stemmed from his own personality vs how much was the influence of the Relic. But the story kinda ended before I could get to know him more and I would have liked that. Bellamy, the leader of the rebellion is only alluded at and I still can’t figure out his motivations and whether he is as noble as his followers seem to believe. We get to see so little of Kaylen’s family but their love for each other shone through the pages and the separation broke my heart.
Overall, I think this is a strong debut with fascinating characters whom I came to love but with limited world building. If you like your fantasy novels to be less epic and more personal, then this is the perfect book for you. If you enjoy slow paced fantasies which have strong character focus but are not action oriented, then you should definitely give this one a try. I’ve still not decided if I will continue on with this series (my TBR is already killing me) but it’ll definitely be on my radar.
I am used to requesting advance copies from Netgalley, so when I got the email from the publisher themselves to review this debut YA fantasy novel, I was very excited. And I’m glad that despite taking me a while, this was a good read.
The first thing I look for in any new fantasy series is a well developed world. In this one, we are mostly relegated to the city of Edriast but we get to explore a lot of it. I could really picture the various places and streets and the keep of the Lord and I thought that was wonderful. There is a map of the city at the beginning of the book but I didn’t find it to be very clear or helpful. The main magic in this story is limited to the Relic which is in the possession of the Lord, and while we do get to know some information about how the Relics came into existence, we are never told anything else about the how or why of the magic. While I guess it was a necessary choice for the story to keep our main character ignorant about the magic and I understood it narratively, it still left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.
I’m a huge fan of YA fantasies and I usually tend to devour them in a day, but this one took me a few days because it was a little slow paced. All the events mentioned in the blurb take almost about half of the book to happen, so it felt slightly predictable at times. There is a lot of talk about a rebellion happening against the Lord but we never get to see any actual rebel attempts. There is also zero action in this installment - not that it is necessary but I guess I’ve just come to expect atleast some action sequences in every fantasy novel. The story here mainly focuses on our main character’s daily life and the ways in which she is being affected due to her new position as the Lord’s Shadow. This makes for a great character arc and we really get to know her deeply and I surely enjoyed that. But it also means we are limited to her story and what she knows, and never get a bigger picture of what’s happening outside. And while I did expect that there would be an explosive ending, what happened left me totally stunned coz I did not see that coming. It was really a shock and I had to take a breather to absorb what happened, which is a testament to the author’s writing talent.
Kaylen is an easy character to sympathize with because of her predicament. She is a loyal and compassionate person who adores her family and is completely distraught when she is chosen as the Shadow. And while most would have succumbed to the hopelessness of it, she never lets go of the idea that maybe she could change her fate or atleast those who might come after her. She doesn’t want to make friends but she can’t keep them away because she really craves some human connection. I really liked her developing friendships with both Jesper and Markus and their scenes together were some of my favorites in the book. On the other hand, reading about the havoc that the Relic unleashes on her both physically and mentally is very painful and excruciating. The author very masterfully describes her hallucinations, the way she loses her grip on reality and how much it leaches her hope, making us feel everything that Kaylen is feeling. There are some violent scenes which were particularly difficult, but the author does a great job showing us the truth about what’s happening to her. And that’s why what happened towards the end is a master stroke, because it gives a very new direction to Kaylen’s story and it’s quite interesting to guess where she goes next.
We only get glimpses of the other characters through Kaylen’s eyes but it was nice to see her bonds with everyone, some friendly and some antagonistic but still important for her. Markus was the one I liked the most because he seems like a very nice guy who just wants to protect his little sister. Jesper is an interesting woman and I could never totally understand her motivations, but it was nice to see a strong female friendship develop in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Lord Rennard was not the typical villain whom I could just hate on sight and it was very fascinating to try to figure out how much of his cruelty stemmed from his own personality vs how much was the influence of the Relic. But the story kinda ended before I could get to know him more and I would have liked that. Bellamy, the leader of the rebellion is only alluded at and I still can’t figure out his motivations and whether he is as noble as his followers seem to believe. We get to see so little of Kaylen’s family but their love for each other shone through the pages and the separation broke my heart.
Overall, I think this is a strong debut with fascinating characters whom I came to love but with limited world building. If you like your fantasy novels to be less epic and more personal, then this is the perfect book for you. If you enjoy slow paced fantasies which have strong character focus but are not action oriented, then you should definitely give this one a try. I’ve still not decided if I will continue on with this series (my TBR is already killing me) but it’ll definitely be on my radar.
June 25, 2020
I’ve read this twice, it’s THAT good, that engrossing and that original!
RELIC by Bronwyn Eley is dark, edgy and completely unique to any fantasy I have read. Imagine a heroine who knows she is going to die, little by little, every day, her life forces sucked away to keep her master alive. Imagine being “chosen” for this position and not being able to deny it, being forced to become another in a long line of “shadows” who will die to feed a relic of immense power. How would you leave your mark on the world as your death draws ever closer?
Bronwyn Eley has a strong writing voice and she gives it to her main character, Kaylan as we are taken on a journey along with a young woman desperate to keep those around her safe from her fate and her heart safe from something she can never dream of having. Written for young adults, this heroine has a maturity that will appeal to any age! This story will appeal to any reader who enjoys a storyteller who has created reading magic.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Talem Press!
Trilogy: The Relic - Book 1
Expected publication: September 12th 2019 by Talem Press
Genre: Dark Fantasy - YA
Page Count: 496 pages
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
RELIC by Bronwyn Eley is dark, edgy and completely unique to any fantasy I have read. Imagine a heroine who knows she is going to die, little by little, every day, her life forces sucked away to keep her master alive. Imagine being “chosen” for this position and not being able to deny it, being forced to become another in a long line of “shadows” who will die to feed a relic of immense power. How would you leave your mark on the world as your death draws ever closer?
Bronwyn Eley has a strong writing voice and she gives it to her main character, Kaylan as we are taken on a journey along with a young woman desperate to keep those around her safe from her fate and her heart safe from something she can never dream of having. Written for young adults, this heroine has a maturity that will appeal to any age! This story will appeal to any reader who enjoys a storyteller who has created reading magic.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Talem Press!
Trilogy: The Relic - Book 1
Expected publication: September 12th 2019 by Talem Press
Genre: Dark Fantasy - YA
Page Count: 496 pages
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
November 24, 2020
I was already thrilled when I read the short description. Powerful stones, magic, cruel lords and a system of Shadows to ensure the magic bloodline. It was a great premise paired with wonderful storytelling. I can imagine that some people might say that the beginning was slow-paced but for me, it was exactly the right speed and tone for the world Kaylan is living in. I had enough time to delve and explore the world and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
The idea with Shadows was very interesting and I loved the relationships between the characters. Kaylan is easy to like and it's not only her but others like Lirr and Jesper who gave bonus points to the story. I really got to like Jesper so much! But I wished there would have been a bit more magic and action through the story. Even though the relic was such a crucial part, it was rarely used in action or not described or explained a lot.
Nevertheless, this book is a great start into a deep, fantastic and mysterious series and I'm looking forward to the next books in series!
**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
The idea with Shadows was very interesting and I loved the relationships between the characters. Kaylan is easy to like and it's not only her but others like Lirr and Jesper who gave bonus points to the story. I really got to like Jesper so much! But I wished there would have been a bit more magic and action through the story. Even though the relic was such a crucial part, it was rarely used in action or not described or explained a lot.
Nevertheless, this book is a great start into a deep, fantastic and mysterious series and I'm looking forward to the next books in series!
**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
October 5, 2019
Check Out My Full Review : https://bibliomedico.wordpress.com/20...
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Also , You can Read my interview with Author Bronwyn Eley : https://bibliomedico.wordpress.com/20...
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Thanks To Shealea From SHUT UP, SHEALEA , Caffeine Book Tours and Talem Press For Giving me the opportunity to Be part of this blog tour and read this amazing book .
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” Power Is A Seductive Thing ”
Let me tell you guys ! I’ve read Amazing novels this year but Still 2019 keeps surprising me with Brilliant and gripping novels that I couldn’t put down or get out of my mind .
I’m not a person who likes rereading books ,In my Whole Reading Journey , I’ve just reread Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and beard science by Penny Reid . But When I finished Relic by Bronwyn Eley , I had the urge to reread it immediately !! , It was that much good .
Fantasy Is one of my all time favorite genre and Recently I’ve been quite picky with Fantasy novels because after reading Books By Sarah J Maas and Leigh Bardugo , I wanted Something amazing like their books . Relic was THE book , I loved it so much , The Story is so intriguing , the charactars are different , complicated and pretty awesome.
Bronwyn Eley has amazing and gripping writing style , from the first page I was hooked, She Expresses the feelings ( hurt , Sadness , Love … ) of the charactars in a great way . And Her World- Building was so good . In simple words , Relic Is The Perfect Novel For Fantasy Lovers .
Even though This Book was amazing as A first book of a trilogy , I wished there was more talk and scenes about the Rebellion , more action scenes and twists . But I have High Expectations for the second Book .
If you are a fantasy Lover , This will be a great read for you because it got everything you need in a fantasy book .
*******************************
Also , You can Read my interview with Author Bronwyn Eley : https://bibliomedico.wordpress.com/20...
*******************************
Thanks To Shealea From SHUT UP, SHEALEA , Caffeine Book Tours and Talem Press For Giving me the opportunity to Be part of this blog tour and read this amazing book .
*******************************
” Power Is A Seductive Thing ”
Let me tell you guys ! I’ve read Amazing novels this year but Still 2019 keeps surprising me with Brilliant and gripping novels that I couldn’t put down or get out of my mind .
I’m not a person who likes rereading books ,In my Whole Reading Journey , I’ve just reread Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and beard science by Penny Reid . But When I finished Relic by Bronwyn Eley , I had the urge to reread it immediately !! , It was that much good .
Fantasy Is one of my all time favorite genre and Recently I’ve been quite picky with Fantasy novels because after reading Books By Sarah J Maas and Leigh Bardugo , I wanted Something amazing like their books . Relic was THE book , I loved it so much , The Story is so intriguing , the charactars are different , complicated and pretty awesome.
Bronwyn Eley has amazing and gripping writing style , from the first page I was hooked, She Expresses the feelings ( hurt , Sadness , Love … ) of the charactars in a great way . And Her World- Building was so good . In simple words , Relic Is The Perfect Novel For Fantasy Lovers .
Even though This Book was amazing as A first book of a trilogy , I wished there was more talk and scenes about the Rebellion , more action scenes and twists . But I have High Expectations for the second Book .
If you are a fantasy Lover , This will be a great read for you because it got everything you need in a fantasy book .
September 26, 2019
'Relic' had me hooked from the very first page. It's one of those books that keeps you turning the pages even though you should have gone to bed hours ago. Great character development and a careful build up to an epic twist you won't see coming. Can't wait for the next book!
October 3, 2021
It's hard to believe that any good can come out of Kaylan's situation... how does anyone survive this world? It's dark, it's brutal and... her poor brothers.
September 19, 2019
You can find this review on my blog, Heart’s Content
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by publisher as part of Caffeine Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to thank Shealea @ShutUpShealea and Talem Press for this opportunity!
When I saw the blurb of Relic I was immediately intrigued. I knew I had to read this book. After reading a few reviews my lovely friends had written about Relic, I was sure that I was prepared for this book. I was wrong.
Relic for me was a gripping read, despite the emotional weight of the second half. Usually I’m very fond of fast paced books with plot twists and fireworks and drama, but despite being an even paced book Relic held my attention throughout. I was rapt reading Kaylan’s journey. The book is drenched in the protagonist’s personality. It’s the most out-shining aspect of the book and most often we don’t read books like that. It was utterly different to watch the gradual changes, the ardent emotions, the heart-breaking struggles and the pain that the protagonist experiences. It’s like watching each mote of dust in the air move silently under the ray of light. It has us strangely enraptured.
The supporting characters in this story were brilliant. It’s as if they were created to support the various struggles that Kaylan experiences. A soulmate for each path she has to undergo. Markus, Jesper, Shae and Keithan are all fantastic support and in their own way a challenge to Kaylan’s thoughts and feelings on her imminent future.
Markus reminds me of one of my very first book boyfriends. This boy has the noble-air down to the T. He’s gracious, charming, kind, funny and he can get the dragon to behave. Jesper is a character I hadn’t expected to like/sympathise with, but I found myself doing both as her personality unfolds through the story. Shae was the quintessential best friend; the one person that’s got your back no matter what and who sees you and knows you as well as you do them. Keithan was a surprising character for me to have liked, his situation (like so many of these characters) was just as difficult, just as out-of-his-control and just as pitiable.
The most note-worthy character I think that even rivalled the weight Kaylan possessed over the script was Lord Rennard. He was the epitome of the ruler that we hate. He was the villain, the main reason for the story and he was also utterly unlikable…Then of course, the ending arrived. Now, you’re not sure what to feel. I have only two words: be prepared.
Four point five stars, I’m definitely ready for book two! Happy reading!
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by publisher as part of Caffeine Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to thank Shealea @ShutUpShealea and Talem Press for this opportunity!
When I saw the blurb of Relic I was immediately intrigued. I knew I had to read this book. After reading a few reviews my lovely friends had written about Relic, I was sure that I was prepared for this book. I was wrong.
Relic for me was a gripping read, despite the emotional weight of the second half. Usually I’m very fond of fast paced books with plot twists and fireworks and drama, but despite being an even paced book Relic held my attention throughout. I was rapt reading Kaylan’s journey. The book is drenched in the protagonist’s personality. It’s the most out-shining aspect of the book and most often we don’t read books like that. It was utterly different to watch the gradual changes, the ardent emotions, the heart-breaking struggles and the pain that the protagonist experiences. It’s like watching each mote of dust in the air move silently under the ray of light. It has us strangely enraptured.
The supporting characters in this story were brilliant. It’s as if they were created to support the various struggles that Kaylan experiences. A soulmate for each path she has to undergo. Markus, Jesper, Shae and Keithan are all fantastic support and in their own way a challenge to Kaylan’s thoughts and feelings on her imminent future.
Markus reminds me of one of my very first book boyfriends. This boy has the noble-air down to the T. He’s gracious, charming, kind, funny and he can get the dragon to behave. Jesper is a character I hadn’t expected to like/sympathise with, but I found myself doing both as her personality unfolds through the story. Shae was the quintessential best friend; the one person that’s got your back no matter what and who sees you and knows you as well as you do them. Keithan was a surprising character for me to have liked, his situation (like so many of these characters) was just as difficult, just as out-of-his-control and just as pitiable.
The most note-worthy character I think that even rivalled the weight Kaylan possessed over the script was Lord Rennard. He was the epitome of the ruler that we hate. He was the villain, the main reason for the story and he was also utterly unlikable…Then of course, the ending arrived. Now, you’re not sure what to feel. I have only two words: be prepared.
Four point five stars, I’m definitely ready for book two! Happy reading!
February 20, 2020
I read reviews on Amazon and thought the book looked intriguing. It was on Kindle Unlimited and I'm trying to do more with that service that I have paid for all these years and hardly use. Sometimes I'm just not impressed with what is available on KU.
This was no exception. The bad reviews were not so bad. It did not have any 1 star which I usually start with first to find out what people who hated it think of it and they are usually brutally honest.
The story is fantasy of some sort. I read somewhere dark fantasy, but it came off as Dark Ya fantasy LIGHT. Its a dystopian type society. A tyrannical ruler has a magic jewel that poisons and eventually kills everyone but him. He has to pick a certain person ( starting at ten years old) and they must be his servant to try and spare all the rest of the people that have to serve him.
Kayla, the main character is the new SHADOW ( that's the name of the servant). She isn't the best character at all. Very poorly thought out. She is weak and indecisive, doesn't inspire nor is inspired by anything ( and that's not on purpose, she's just a poor storybook character).
Some examples......She cant decide if the Man whom kills innocent people by having them serve him until they literally die from it, is a good or bad person. She cant decide if it a good thing that oppressed people want to rebel against a tyrannical ruler. She is more worried about the InstaLove she finds from one of the Lords in the castle is more important than anything else going on in this weak story.
It was just bad I'm sorry....which is to bad because the actual writing wasn't bad ( there was to much telling instead of showing though)
This was no exception. The bad reviews were not so bad. It did not have any 1 star which I usually start with first to find out what people who hated it think of it and they are usually brutally honest.
The story is fantasy of some sort. I read somewhere dark fantasy, but it came off as Dark Ya fantasy LIGHT. Its a dystopian type society. A tyrannical ruler has a magic jewel that poisons and eventually kills everyone but him. He has to pick a certain person ( starting at ten years old) and they must be his servant to try and spare all the rest of the people that have to serve him.
Kayla, the main character is the new SHADOW ( that's the name of the servant). She isn't the best character at all. Very poorly thought out. She is weak and indecisive, doesn't inspire nor is inspired by anything ( and that's not on purpose, she's just a poor storybook character).
Some examples......She cant decide if the Man whom kills innocent people by having them serve him until they literally die from it, is a good or bad person. She cant decide if it a good thing that oppressed people want to rebel against a tyrannical ruler. She is more worried about the InstaLove she finds from one of the Lords in the castle is more important than anything else going on in this weak story.
It was just bad I'm sorry....which is to bad because the actual writing wasn't bad ( there was to much telling instead of showing though)
January 18, 2021
Once I picked up this book I was completely enthralled by the role of the shadow. Every few years, sometimes less, a shadow must be appointed to serve the powerful Lord Rennard. It is a role that none covet, for it is forsaken. To be the lord's shadow means to slowly suffer until death claims them, for the relic that the lord carries kills anyone who comes close.
Relic follows the story of Kaylan, a girl who works as a blacksmith with a very humble and simple family. In a random drawing she is selected as the lord's next shadow. The first half ot the book is full of this mysterious allure behind the relic and the role of the shadow, I was captivated. My favorite aspect though was Lord Rennard, he was so secretive and curious. I found myself wondering while reading what kind of man was he, good or evil?
The book progresses in a steady pace as Kaylan finds herself completely mixed in a world of political intrigue, rebellion and lust for power. Behind it all Kaylan finds friendship in unexpected places. I really liked the side characters introduced, such as Markus and Jesper, they were very well developed and their dynamics with Kaylan was enjoyable to read. I am anxious to get my hands on the next instalments of the series!
Thank you to the author for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Relic follows the story of Kaylan, a girl who works as a blacksmith with a very humble and simple family. In a random drawing she is selected as the lord's next shadow. The first half ot the book is full of this mysterious allure behind the relic and the role of the shadow, I was captivated. My favorite aspect though was Lord Rennard, he was so secretive and curious. I found myself wondering while reading what kind of man was he, good or evil?
The book progresses in a steady pace as Kaylan finds herself completely mixed in a world of political intrigue, rebellion and lust for power. Behind it all Kaylan finds friendship in unexpected places. I really liked the side characters introduced, such as Markus and Jesper, they were very well developed and their dynamics with Kaylan was enjoyable to read. I am anxious to get my hands on the next instalments of the series!
Thank you to the author for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 24, 2021
Relic is a YA fantasy with an interesting premise and protagonist. A magical stone called the Relic is worn by Lord Rennard. Though it protects his bloodline, it slowly kills everyone around him. When Kaylan is chosen to become the Shadow of the Lord, she is taken from her family to serve the mysterious Lord Rennard, and her life is irrevocably changed. Kaylan knows being so close to Lord Rennard will result in her death, and nefarious rebellions, as well as the ire of her master, could prove just as deadly as the relic.
Kaylan is a well-rounded, dynamic character who goes through so many trials and tribulations. Kaylan is not an entirely reliable narrator, and I often questioned her decisions and reactions to her actions. That being said, I feel like the Relic has a lot to do with her complex and sometimes contradictory decisions. Kaylan’s life drastically changes when she is chosen to be The Shadow, and you definitely feel for this teen who has little choice and less hope. I also like that the story is told in the first person because you get the thoughts and feelings of Kaylan, which adds such depth to her character.
I did feel that the pacing was slow at the beginning, and I found it difficult to become fully immersed in the story, but when I was about twenty-five percent through the story, it definitely picked up the pace. I also wish some of the magical elements and world-building were developed a bit more, especially regarding the Relic. However, the characters are well-developed and interesting, and the messages of friendship, survival, and family are strong.
I particularly like Kaylan’s best friend and her love interest. The relatable characters and relationships are my favorite aspects of the story. I also like how the friendships and Kaylan’s family offer some happiness and levity in an otherwise strict and unforgiving society. This is a place where freedoms are restricted and punishments are severe. Seeing close, loving, and supportive relationships thriving juxtaposes the harsh and often cruel world that they live in.
The story is a bit darker than the typical YA fantasy, and if you are looking for a happy ending, this is not the book for you. I like that the plot is unpredictable and keeps the reader guessing, and I was definitely surprised at some of the events and deaths that occurred, especially at the end. I think Relic will appeal to readers who like dark fantasy with interesting magic systems and likable characters. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Talem Press, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Kaylan is a well-rounded, dynamic character who goes through so many trials and tribulations. Kaylan is not an entirely reliable narrator, and I often questioned her decisions and reactions to her actions. That being said, I feel like the Relic has a lot to do with her complex and sometimes contradictory decisions. Kaylan’s life drastically changes when she is chosen to be The Shadow, and you definitely feel for this teen who has little choice and less hope. I also like that the story is told in the first person because you get the thoughts and feelings of Kaylan, which adds such depth to her character.
I did feel that the pacing was slow at the beginning, and I found it difficult to become fully immersed in the story, but when I was about twenty-five percent through the story, it definitely picked up the pace. I also wish some of the magical elements and world-building were developed a bit more, especially regarding the Relic. However, the characters are well-developed and interesting, and the messages of friendship, survival, and family are strong.
I particularly like Kaylan’s best friend and her love interest. The relatable characters and relationships are my favorite aspects of the story. I also like how the friendships and Kaylan’s family offer some happiness and levity in an otherwise strict and unforgiving society. This is a place where freedoms are restricted and punishments are severe. Seeing close, loving, and supportive relationships thriving juxtaposes the harsh and often cruel world that they live in.
The story is a bit darker than the typical YA fantasy, and if you are looking for a happy ending, this is not the book for you. I like that the plot is unpredictable and keeps the reader guessing, and I was definitely surprised at some of the events and deaths that occurred, especially at the end. I think Relic will appeal to readers who like dark fantasy with interesting magic systems and likable characters. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Talem Press, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
September 7, 2019
I'm immensely grateful to Talem Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Makes me so happy to be able to read a debut like this one, I loved it! I feel that the author gives us a new perspective on the dark fantasy genre and manages to give us wonderfully created characters and an intriguing magic system. I think it's a very unique story and I still can't believe that we are in presence of a debut author, since the book is beautifully created, there's a lot of talent put into this story and after that ending, I'm super excited for the next one and even more excited to more people to read it!
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You can find more of my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought.
"Relic" takes place in the city of Edriast, where Kaylan, a nineteen-year-old young girl, has been selected to be the new Shadow, a deadly and dangerous title where she should serve Lord Rennard, owner of a powerful and dangerous Relic, whose magic has consumed to the previous Shadow. While Kayla's hopes are undone, a rebel group outside is rising against Rennard government, and soon with her life ending, Kaylan must decide if this is a cause worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs ...
I think in summary, I'd say it's a captivating story, I really enjoyed the whole reading process, although I must say that it's quite slow-paced, so if you plan to read it you must keep that in mind, even so, is not a boring story, it's only very complex and kind heavy, but you can take it well and after 50% the step improves a lot. It's been a long time since I read a fantasy that felt so dark and loved that aspect, I think the author knew how to play with psychological elements, like dreams, and hallucinations to give us a more intense and mysterious atmosphere. The writing style is very good and detailed, I like the descriptions a lot and how the author makes it possible for us to put ourselves in the place of the main character very easily, due to the powerfulness of her writing and the great impact that the story has itself.
I really liked the characters, in fantasy I sometimes feel that the characters are neglected a bit due to the many other factors that must be traveled as magical systems and world-building, that's why we can sometimes stick to the characters just in the second and third book, but this fantasy is highly character-focused, especially in Kaylan, our main character.
Kaylan's really an incredible character, I managed to feel immediately attached and identified with her for that great concern and love she feels for her family, it shows and you can actually see that she would do anything for them and much of her fierce, although physical, is also mental and it shows a lot when something threatens her loved ones. I love these types of characters so good and well-focused, she's a tough girl but she's not impulsive or makes stupid decisions, I feel that on the contrary, she's very calculating and smart. I really liked her and I'm excited to see what path she'll take in the next book, whatever she decides to do, I'll support her. Seeing this character suffers really destroyed my heart, I think she deserves better, but she's strong and will be able to do anything. Then we have characters like Markus and Jesper, which I also liked very much, I think they have great and key participation in the plot, besides surprising a lot at times. Lord Rennard is the villain of the story and it's really interesting for me to be able to see a bit of his personality and also discover how Relic has affected him, because those relics really affect on people, change and consume them. He's a character that you'll surely hate, I've done it, but at the same time, I appreciate this type of villain since he's not only there to be bad, he also has a deep personality and is well created.
Although I enjoy most aspects of the book, I still feel that the world-building needs some work. I really liked what we got from it, but I still couldn't appreciate it or maybe it just couldn't captivate me as I expected it would. It contains a map at the beginning that sadly is more confusing even, so I expect more of this in the following books. Even so, this is very well-managed thanks to the author's writing that makes any moment feel atmospheric and captivating.
Another thing I hope is more explored are the Relics, it's very interesting and I loved discovering how its magic works and what it can do, it's really the cherry on the cake and no doubt, without this detail the book wouldn't be the same. It's dark magic and it's very scary to see what it can do to people, but leaving this aside, I would like to know more about its origin, I think it would give more depth and meaning to the magic itself.
There's still a situation that includes a "rebel group" and really, although I'm intrigued, I didn't see much of this happening in this first book. There's a development, of course, but I expected something else, maybe especially since it's focused on the synopsis but well, maybe in the future we'll see more of this. We always get a group of rebels in our fantasies/dystopias, right?, so I hope this is not disappointments in the following books and manages to give an interesting and unique turn to this aspect.
The ending was INCREDIBLE, I liked it a lot, it has high-impact scenes and a lot of action so I'm really excited to continue with the story once the author comes out with the sequel, there's so much yet to find out about, it's crazy!!!
I highly recommend this book if, like me, you enjoy fantasy, but above all, I recommend it if you like character-driven stories more because this is a book that focuses a lot on the characters, so you'll surely enjoy that. I also think it's dark, captivating and you can get hooked with the plot very easily. I hope you decide to read, it's the author's first book and she needs our support, and besides that, this is INCREDIBLY written, so I predict that the following books will be even better and I can't wait
March 11, 2022
This book was really good! Makes me sad how few people have read it!
September 13, 2019
Edriast’s lord wears a deadly relic, passed down through his bloodline. As the relic leaches the life from everyone who spends time in close proximity to it, he employs a shadow, someone as a servant to attend to all his need, so others don’t have to. His latest shadow has succumbed to the relics power and Kaylan has been selected in the lottery to take his place.
Relic was a brilliant dark fantasy I couldn’t get enough of. I’m so glad it wasn’t a stand-alone, not because the story left too many plot points unresolved, but because I’m not ready to say goodbye to the characters!
Kaylan is one of those characters who are tough, but at the same time vulnerable and flawed. I appreciate those much more than the ‘I’m just a normal girl but suddenly I can do everything’ characters. She has a fierce love for her, equally flawed, family and struggles hard with having to leave them behind, while still trying to protect them from afar.
I also loved Marcus and Jesper as side characters. They were both interesting in their own right and added so much to the story. Rennard was a villain that gave me underlying feelings of almost feeling sorry for him at times. The relic’s power seemed to change him as well as those around it.
The story itself has plenty of intrigue and I was never quite sure who some of the characters were actually loyal to.
I’m really looking forward to the next book , this has the potential to be an amazing series!
September 7, 2019
Full Review on my blog.
https://thecleverreader.wordpress.com...
https://thecleverreader.wordpress.com...
March 31, 2021
"𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧.”
So, I finished Relic, by Bronwyn Eley and I must share it with you guys because I need more people reading this awesome book! It had me gripped to my kindle since the very first page, and the writing and plot made me want to keep turning the pages even after hours of reading✨
Relic is about a girl name Kaylan who is selected to become the next Shadow or, in other words, Lord Rennard’s personal servant, the man who rules Edriast with a jewel powerful enough to inflict the most arduous pain (to the point of causing death) to those who spend enough time close to it (exept for Lord Rennard, its keeper). Kaylan’s life changes from one moment to the other the afternoon she arrives home and finds a guard waiting with her family, ready to take her to the Lord after his former shadow dies under the effects of the jewell called relic. Unable to prevent it, she soon finds herself in a world full of deception, secrets, unexpected friendships and sparks of an emerging rebellion.
Kayla is an easy character to grow fond of, both because of the situation she is thrown into, her personality, and the love and devotion she has for her family. I loved seeing how, despite her fate and how she wants to isolate herself from anyone as she keeps thinking of what the relic will do to her, she still managed to get close and create bonds and friendships with the other characters. However, there were some moments and scenes which were quite difficult and painful to read. Particularly when she begins to notice the effects of the relic, and starts having hallucinations that make her slowly loose the grip of her thoughts and mind at some points.
The romance in this book is sweet and light, and I loved the fact that it didn’t overstep or shadow the main plot and the narration of other events in Kayla’s story. Marcus and she have such a cute relationship and I loved their interactions as much as Kayla and Jesper’s friendship. The action, as well as the twists and turns in the plot were also great, and some aspects of it even game be An Ember in the Ashes vibes (which I adored)!!
I loved this book so much and the ending left me with the urge to know what will happen next with Kayla! A huge thanks to Bronwyn and Talem Press for my gifted copy, I had the best time reading it and I can't wait to read the sequel!
So, I finished Relic, by Bronwyn Eley and I must share it with you guys because I need more people reading this awesome book! It had me gripped to my kindle since the very first page, and the writing and plot made me want to keep turning the pages even after hours of reading✨
Relic is about a girl name Kaylan who is selected to become the next Shadow or, in other words, Lord Rennard’s personal servant, the man who rules Edriast with a jewel powerful enough to inflict the most arduous pain (to the point of causing death) to those who spend enough time close to it (exept for Lord Rennard, its keeper). Kaylan’s life changes from one moment to the other the afternoon she arrives home and finds a guard waiting with her family, ready to take her to the Lord after his former shadow dies under the effects of the jewell called relic. Unable to prevent it, she soon finds herself in a world full of deception, secrets, unexpected friendships and sparks of an emerging rebellion.
Kayla is an easy character to grow fond of, both because of the situation she is thrown into, her personality, and the love and devotion she has for her family. I loved seeing how, despite her fate and how she wants to isolate herself from anyone as she keeps thinking of what the relic will do to her, she still managed to get close and create bonds and friendships with the other characters. However, there were some moments and scenes which were quite difficult and painful to read. Particularly when she begins to notice the effects of the relic, and starts having hallucinations that make her slowly loose the grip of her thoughts and mind at some points.
The romance in this book is sweet and light, and I loved the fact that it didn’t overstep or shadow the main plot and the narration of other events in Kayla’s story. Marcus and she have such a cute relationship and I loved their interactions as much as Kayla and Jesper’s friendship. The action, as well as the twists and turns in the plot were also great, and some aspects of it even game be An Ember in the Ashes vibes (which I adored)!!
I loved this book so much and the ending left me with the urge to know what will happen next with Kayla! A huge thanks to Bronwyn and Talem Press for my gifted copy, I had the best time reading it and I can't wait to read the sequel!
June 4, 2021
Amazing debut book and series. I was left on the edge of my seat, waiting anxiously to find out what happened next.
Full review on my blog here:
http://bookshelfadventures.home.blog/...
Full review on my blog here:
http://bookshelfadventures.home.blog/...
April 16, 2021
*Disclaimer: I was kindly gifted an electronic copy of this book by Talem Press and the author in exchange for an honest review.
➻ PUBLISHED: September 2019 ➻ GENRE: YA Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy ➻ Kindle Edition
If you are in the mood for a dark fantasy with a female lead and a plotline leaving you hungry for more, you must read Relic. Relic is the first book in The Relic Trilogy series written by Bronwyn Eley. The second book,Riven, is published in 2020 and the third book Rising is coming in May 2021, so you will be able to binge read this series and get lost in the world of Edriast.
I love maps, they make a story feel more authentic and I enjoy referring back to them while reading. In Relic a map is included of The City of Edriast, happy exploring! We meet 19-year-old Kaylan Rove who works as a blacksmith in the city of Edriast, she lives with her mother and three brothers. Her father passed away after falling from a roof. Kaylan questioned his fall from a roof but wrote it off as an accident. As the story progresses, the mention of her father's fall brings a shocking revelation!
Edriast is a city where parents fear for their children and children fear for their parents. Anyone could be called as the Shadow. The Shadow is a personal servant for Lord Rennard who rules over Edriast. He wears a jewel, known as a Relic (one of five), which protects his bloodline. This Relic sees everyone else (even Lord Rennard's wife, Jesper) as a threat and has devastating effects on them. For this reason, Lord Rennard needs a personal servant to minimise contact with anyone else. The magic emanating from the Relic leads to death. Everyone knew that Shadows didn't last long due to the effect of the magic on their physical and mental wellbeing.
With the public death of the last Shadow, the question on everyone's lips is "Who will be the next Shadow?" One night Kaylan returns home after meeting up with her childhood friend Shae, only to be met by guards. Realising she is chosen as the next Shadow, Kaylan knows her fate is sealed. This is where the story really begins. Kaylan needs to serve Lord Rennard, knowing she is going to die. No medicine can help her fight the effects of the Relic. Her body will slowly deteriorate until nothing is left. Kaylan finds herself in a constant battle against the negative effects of the Relic. Meanwhile, she meets a handsome Nobleman, hiding her identity as the Shadow from him. But the longer Kaylan serves Lord Rennard, she discovers hidden truths, deception and murder, all caused by the power of the Relic.
From the moment I started reading, I was intrigued by the idea of Shadows and the mystery around the relic. I would have liked more information about the other four Relics, but seeing as this is a trilogy, I expect the other four Relics will make an appearance soon. The characters are well developed and the story has so much depth to it, the reader easily gets lost in this new world. Family and friendship is an important theme in this story. Kaylan loves her family and would do anything to protect them, and unexpected friendships in the midst of suffering are the strength that keeps Kaylan fighting, not only for herself but for Shadows after her. The ending is unexpected and shocking but it drives the reader to find out what happens next.
I recommend Relic to anyone who loves fantasy. Even though this is the debut novel of Bronwyn Eley, I feel this book deserves more hype and everyone needs to read it.
This review is posted on my blog:
https://willowscornerbook.wordpress.c...
➻ PUBLISHED: September 2019 ➻ GENRE: YA Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy ➻ Kindle Edition
If you are in the mood for a dark fantasy with a female lead and a plotline leaving you hungry for more, you must read Relic. Relic is the first book in The Relic Trilogy series written by Bronwyn Eley. The second book,Riven, is published in 2020 and the third book Rising is coming in May 2021, so you will be able to binge read this series and get lost in the world of Edriast.
I love maps, they make a story feel more authentic and I enjoy referring back to them while reading. In Relic a map is included of The City of Edriast, happy exploring! We meet 19-year-old Kaylan Rove who works as a blacksmith in the city of Edriast, she lives with her mother and three brothers. Her father passed away after falling from a roof. Kaylan questioned his fall from a roof but wrote it off as an accident. As the story progresses, the mention of her father's fall brings a shocking revelation!
Edriast is a city where parents fear for their children and children fear for their parents. Anyone could be called as the Shadow. The Shadow is a personal servant for Lord Rennard who rules over Edriast. He wears a jewel, known as a Relic (one of five), which protects his bloodline. This Relic sees everyone else (even Lord Rennard's wife, Jesper) as a threat and has devastating effects on them. For this reason, Lord Rennard needs a personal servant to minimise contact with anyone else. The magic emanating from the Relic leads to death. Everyone knew that Shadows didn't last long due to the effect of the magic on their physical and mental wellbeing.
With the public death of the last Shadow, the question on everyone's lips is "Who will be the next Shadow?" One night Kaylan returns home after meeting up with her childhood friend Shae, only to be met by guards. Realising she is chosen as the next Shadow, Kaylan knows her fate is sealed. This is where the story really begins. Kaylan needs to serve Lord Rennard, knowing she is going to die. No medicine can help her fight the effects of the Relic. Her body will slowly deteriorate until nothing is left. Kaylan finds herself in a constant battle against the negative effects of the Relic. Meanwhile, she meets a handsome Nobleman, hiding her identity as the Shadow from him. But the longer Kaylan serves Lord Rennard, she discovers hidden truths, deception and murder, all caused by the power of the Relic.
From the moment I started reading, I was intrigued by the idea of Shadows and the mystery around the relic. I would have liked more information about the other four Relics, but seeing as this is a trilogy, I expect the other four Relics will make an appearance soon. The characters are well developed and the story has so much depth to it, the reader easily gets lost in this new world. Family and friendship is an important theme in this story. Kaylan loves her family and would do anything to protect them, and unexpected friendships in the midst of suffering are the strength that keeps Kaylan fighting, not only for herself but for Shadows after her. The ending is unexpected and shocking but it drives the reader to find out what happens next.
I recommend Relic to anyone who loves fantasy. Even though this is the debut novel of Bronwyn Eley, I feel this book deserves more hype and everyone needs to read it.
This review is posted on my blog:
https://willowscornerbook.wordpress.c...
December 9, 2021
What would you do if your whole life, your whole existence, your death.. was determined by someone else?
Okay so first off...I liked this book very very much!! Even though some say that the book is slow or that the book is action-less...I wouldn't agree at all.
From the start, Bronwyn does an amazing job with words. The descriptions of places, the introduction to the world is amazingly written. I almost felt like I was there, walking those stone streets going about my day.
It's a tough life that is lead in Edriast with a little much to look forward to in the future. Do your work, pay your debts, go home, pray not to be the next shadow. It's a simple working life until the new shadow needs to be selected. All is well if they choose someone else..someone who you don't love, someone who isn't close to you. Someone you don't know. But is it? The book made me think deeply at all those times you were glad when someone else got into trouble at school even though it could have easily been you. And I didn't doubt one minute that things would be different if Edriast was real. People, all of us, want to live, want to survive...so we would pity the new shadow, a day, maybe two but then life would go on. We wouldn't fight the system until it would choose someone we love. Someone who is worth fighting for in our eyes.
Kaylan...Kaylan, I liked from the start. She was human. And that was the thing that won me the most. She wasn't some badass Assasin, she didn't have magical never-seen powers, she was human. She was scared, she cried, she was afraid, she was mad, she was brave, she was lost. She was all of those things and more. I love when a book goes into the depths of a character, explaining his motives, his desires, his actions. I love that. I don't need to have action 24/7, I need to connect with the character before that. I need to know the world before that. So that once the action starts...I know who to root for.
Another thing that I loved is, of course, the love interest...Oh, I loved Markus and their relationship. I love how he changes through the story, I love how loyal he is and how he lights every situation he is in. I loved them together and honestly can't wait to see how their story will go.
The character that fascinated me the most was Jasper. She was the one character I couldn't quite get. Did she love her husband? Was she good, bad? What were her motives? She intrigued me and I hope we find a little more about her, despite her sad fate. I also hope to find more about Shae, she seems so strong with all that she has been through.
Honestly, this book went so much deeper than I thought (..or maybe it's just me :p). It dealt with grief, loss, with accepting your faith. I cried while I read how relic tortured Kaylan mentally. Bronwyn amazed me with her writing skills that really play with your emotions. You cannot be indifferent when Kaylan loses her grip on reality when she says goodbye to her family. You cannot stay emotionally untouched when her little brother, the purest soul, brings her his plant. Those little things make a great book.
Gosh, I cried reading this book, I loved and enjoyed each and every character. And the ending...the ending had me gripping my seat. It broke my heart, but I do understand why things happened the way they did...it broke my heart and send me into a pool of tears, but I get it. And I know that the real fight has just begun... and boy am I here for it.
Okay so first off...I liked this book very very much!! Even though some say that the book is slow or that the book is action-less...I wouldn't agree at all.
From the start, Bronwyn does an amazing job with words. The descriptions of places, the introduction to the world is amazingly written. I almost felt like I was there, walking those stone streets going about my day.
It's a tough life that is lead in Edriast with a little much to look forward to in the future. Do your work, pay your debts, go home, pray not to be the next shadow. It's a simple working life until the new shadow needs to be selected. All is well if they choose someone else..someone who you don't love, someone who isn't close to you. Someone you don't know. But is it? The book made me think deeply at all those times you were glad when someone else got into trouble at school even though it could have easily been you. And I didn't doubt one minute that things would be different if Edriast was real. People, all of us, want to live, want to survive...so we would pity the new shadow, a day, maybe two but then life would go on. We wouldn't fight the system until it would choose someone we love. Someone who is worth fighting for in our eyes.
Kaylan...Kaylan, I liked from the start. She was human. And that was the thing that won me the most. She wasn't some badass Assasin, she didn't have magical never-seen powers, she was human. She was scared, she cried, she was afraid, she was mad, she was brave, she was lost. She was all of those things and more. I love when a book goes into the depths of a character, explaining his motives, his desires, his actions. I love that. I don't need to have action 24/7, I need to connect with the character before that. I need to know the world before that. So that once the action starts...I know who to root for.
Another thing that I loved is, of course, the love interest...Oh, I loved Markus and their relationship. I love how he changes through the story, I love how loyal he is and how he lights every situation he is in. I loved them together and honestly can't wait to see how their story will go.
The character that fascinated me the most was Jasper. She was the one character I couldn't quite get. Did she love her husband? Was she good, bad? What were her motives? She intrigued me and I hope we find a little more about her, despite her sad fate. I also hope to find more about Shae, she seems so strong with all that she has been through.
Honestly, this book went so much deeper than I thought (..or maybe it's just me :p). It dealt with grief, loss, with accepting your faith. I cried while I read how relic tortured Kaylan mentally. Bronwyn amazed me with her writing skills that really play with your emotions. You cannot be indifferent when Kaylan loses her grip on reality when she says goodbye to her family. You cannot stay emotionally untouched when her little brother, the purest soul, brings her his plant. Those little things make a great book.
Gosh, I cried reading this book, I loved and enjoyed each and every character. And the ending...the ending had me gripping my seat. It broke my heart, but I do understand why things happened the way they did...it broke my heart and send me into a pool of tears, but I get it. And I know that the real fight has just begun... and boy am I here for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 5, 2023Relic, by Bronwyn Eley, is the first book in the Relic Trilogy, a YA dark fantasy series by debut author Eley. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! It follows Kaylan, a teen girl living in Edriast, a cruel place where the Shadow to the ruling Lord Rennard, could be anyone over the age of ten.
Yes, you read that right.
The Shadows' lifespans were typically shorter because of the Relic, a jewel that Lord Rennard made them wear to protect the bloodline.
Kaylan is worried for her younger brothers, both of whom exceed the 10+ age limit, and her mother, who obviously could be chosen.
What she doesn't realize is that she could be chosen as well. And, well, she is chosen, leaving her completely in the dark about this whole new life forced on her. She needs to learn all the secrets and whispers of the Shadow- and quickly, because Lord Rennard isn't exactly the most forgiving.
"Power is a seductive thing."
One thing I really loved about Relic was the emphasis on family relationships and ties. Kaylan did have a love interest, and there was romance, but it was not overdone, and what really emerged on the top was Kaylan's family. They weren't perfect- which is surprising since lots of authors write perfect families- but their flaws were well-written and made them all-rounded characters.
Kaylan's love for them just made her even more admirable- other than the super cool plot line that her story arc follows, she wasn't a take-BS sort of character, but she wasn't suddenly Supergirl either. Instead, she had to actually wisen up and experience, which I really appreciated.
"I would just become another name on that list of forgotten souls"
This quote really struck me. I think a common trope in YA fantasy, especially darker fantasy books, is when the people are just nameless creatures to a tyrant ruler, when they're nothing more than flesh and bone.
This book did a great job of bringing it out without seeming overused and cliche, which is hard to do- and while we're at it, kudos to Bronwyn for just acing her debut!
One major criticism I have is the pacing. At some points it was just so slow and hard to pick through. In the beginning especially I found myself putting the book down way too many times, but once I finally was invested, it moved by quickly.
"What had this city turned us into? Nothing but puppets to a grandmaster."
Rennard was your tyrant-dictator-ruler that we see so many times across genres and in real life, but at times you almost felt sympathy for him when you learned more about Rennard or glimpsed cracks in his armor.
The friendships were an extra drizzle of honey- in the beginning, I really liked Shay, and afterwards when we started to know Markus and Jesper (who's a woman, btw) they were also interesting.
We were limited to what Kaylan knew, which closed off some doors, but that was okay because there was still so much to learn. I wish we could have had more of the rebellion, but the book didn't go too much into that, probably playing it safe haha.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think that it was an excellent debut! If you enjoy dark fantasies with a unique plot and characters you can sympathize with, this book is definitely for you!
Yes, you read that right.
The Shadows' lifespans were typically shorter because of the Relic, a jewel that Lord Rennard made them wear to protect the bloodline.
Kaylan is worried for her younger brothers, both of whom exceed the 10+ age limit, and her mother, who obviously could be chosen.
What she doesn't realize is that she could be chosen as well. And, well, she is chosen, leaving her completely in the dark about this whole new life forced on her. She needs to learn all the secrets and whispers of the Shadow- and quickly, because Lord Rennard isn't exactly the most forgiving.
"Power is a seductive thing."
One thing I really loved about Relic was the emphasis on family relationships and ties. Kaylan did have a love interest, and there was romance, but it was not overdone, and what really emerged on the top was Kaylan's family. They weren't perfect- which is surprising since lots of authors write perfect families- but their flaws were well-written and made them all-rounded characters.
Kaylan's love for them just made her even more admirable- other than the super cool plot line that her story arc follows, she wasn't a take-BS sort of character, but she wasn't suddenly Supergirl either. Instead, she had to actually wisen up and experience, which I really appreciated.
"I would just become another name on that list of forgotten souls"
This quote really struck me. I think a common trope in YA fantasy, especially darker fantasy books, is when the people are just nameless creatures to a tyrant ruler, when they're nothing more than flesh and bone.
This book did a great job of bringing it out without seeming overused and cliche, which is hard to do- and while we're at it, kudos to Bronwyn for just acing her debut!
One major criticism I have is the pacing. At some points it was just so slow and hard to pick through. In the beginning especially I found myself putting the book down way too many times, but once I finally was invested, it moved by quickly.
"What had this city turned us into? Nothing but puppets to a grandmaster."
Rennard was your tyrant-dictator-ruler that we see so many times across genres and in real life, but at times you almost felt sympathy for him when you learned more about Rennard or glimpsed cracks in his armor.
The friendships were an extra drizzle of honey- in the beginning, I really liked Shay, and afterwards when we started to know Markus and Jesper (who's a woman, btw) they were also interesting.
We were limited to what Kaylan knew, which closed off some doors, but that was okay because there was still so much to learn. I wish we could have had more of the rebellion, but the book didn't go too much into that, probably playing it safe haha.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think that it was an excellent debut! If you enjoy dark fantasies with a unique plot and characters you can sympathize with, this book is definitely for you!
September 21, 2019
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for Caffeine Blog Tours.
“I wasn’t some quivering animal caught in a hunter’s sight. I was angry. The words came out in a low snarl, deep from my chest, as if I really was a wild beast.”
We are introduced to the world of Relic in the city of Edriast, where Lord Rennard, who has hold of the magical gemstone, rules with an iron fist. The narrative doesn’t stray from Edriast and we experience the city with its every aspect: from the imposing castle to the slums and lush companion houses, Edriast comes alive as Kaylan, a young Blacksmith apprentice and the narrator, navigates being pulled away from her life and dropped into one of danger, conspiracy and uncertainty. I must say I loved reading about Kaylan and Shae’s friendship, as well as Kaylan’s bond with her brothers. It establishes her as a family-oriented, selfless person as she later takes huge risks to ensure their safety.
However, she is not able to stop thinking of her own well-being as the elusive Relic’s power consumes her, slowly breaking her in body and in spirit. The supporting cast both inside the castle and in the city can ultimately provide little help for her, but they stay by her side and support her. One character in particular, Jesper, makes actual effort to save Kaylan’s life and becomes a genuine friend to her. This is a welcome change, because Kaylan is rarely treated with any sympathy by anyone throughout the book and it gets worse as the Relic takes its toll on her. She begins turning on herself as well. Her inner conflict and the rising stakes are depicted so well that I think the middle through the end is the strongest section of this book.
We follow Kaylan through shady taverns, secret passageways and castle dungeons, the setting works with the story to create a claustrophobic, almost drowning atmosphere. In that aspect it reminded me a bit of Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast series but although Relic spans only one city, the larger world is hinted at by the ending and the existence of four other Relics belonging to four other bloodlines. It’s good set-up for the future books and later parts of Kaylan’s journey.
I do wish we got to learn more about the magic system, because honestly, despite its destructive qualities I couldn’t help but wonder if the Relic could have any redeeming qualities. So far it has only brought death and ruin, but maybe there’s more to it. I especially liked that it was… personalized, at times. Almost playing with Kaylan’s mind the way a cat would with mice.
Overall, if you are a fan of:
Dark fantasy heavy on political intrigue
Gormenghast-like claustrophobic worldbuilding
Quietly festering beginnings and explosive endings
you don’t want to miss this.
“I wasn’t some quivering animal caught in a hunter’s sight. I was angry. The words came out in a low snarl, deep from my chest, as if I really was a wild beast.”
We are introduced to the world of Relic in the city of Edriast, where Lord Rennard, who has hold of the magical gemstone, rules with an iron fist. The narrative doesn’t stray from Edriast and we experience the city with its every aspect: from the imposing castle to the slums and lush companion houses, Edriast comes alive as Kaylan, a young Blacksmith apprentice and the narrator, navigates being pulled away from her life and dropped into one of danger, conspiracy and uncertainty. I must say I loved reading about Kaylan and Shae’s friendship, as well as Kaylan’s bond with her brothers. It establishes her as a family-oriented, selfless person as she later takes huge risks to ensure their safety.
However, she is not able to stop thinking of her own well-being as the elusive Relic’s power consumes her, slowly breaking her in body and in spirit. The supporting cast both inside the castle and in the city can ultimately provide little help for her, but they stay by her side and support her. One character in particular, Jesper, makes actual effort to save Kaylan’s life and becomes a genuine friend to her. This is a welcome change, because Kaylan is rarely treated with any sympathy by anyone throughout the book and it gets worse as the Relic takes its toll on her. She begins turning on herself as well. Her inner conflict and the rising stakes are depicted so well that I think the middle through the end is the strongest section of this book.
We follow Kaylan through shady taverns, secret passageways and castle dungeons, the setting works with the story to create a claustrophobic, almost drowning atmosphere. In that aspect it reminded me a bit of Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast series but although Relic spans only one city, the larger world is hinted at by the ending and the existence of four other Relics belonging to four other bloodlines. It’s good set-up for the future books and later parts of Kaylan’s journey.
I do wish we got to learn more about the magic system, because honestly, despite its destructive qualities I couldn’t help but wonder if the Relic could have any redeeming qualities. So far it has only brought death and ruin, but maybe there’s more to it. I especially liked that it was… personalized, at times. Almost playing with Kaylan’s mind the way a cat would with mice.
Overall, if you are a fan of:
Dark fantasy heavy on political intrigue
Gormenghast-like claustrophobic worldbuilding
Quietly festering beginnings and explosive endings
you don’t want to miss this.
November 24, 2019
THIS REVIEW & MORE → Paws and Paperbacks
3.5 stars
ARC provided by the publisher.
Relic is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy that is sure to impress many readers, myself included. With a strong heroine, excellent worldbuilding, and a very interesting premise, this was one heck of an entertaining story!
The premise of Relic felt really unique and fascinating, which is what originally drew me to the story. The book follows our protagonist, Kaylan, who has been chosen to be the next shadow: a personal servant to the Lord whom basically absorbs all the negative energy and pain given off by their magical relic. The worldbuilding present in Relic was truly excellent. It was so easy to understand how the world worked without feeling confused or overwhelmed. Bronwyn Eley did a great job with placing the necessary pieces into the story and avoiding any information dumping.
I found Kaylan to be an excellent heroine! She was smart, caring, and resilient. Family and friendships mean a lot to her and are a central part of the story. She showed a lot of grit and determination in trying to solve her predicament, unwilling to simply roll over and accept her fate. I also thought she was very astute and made good decisions. For instance, when learning about a rebellion brewing, rather than joining forces with them straight away, she makes note of the negative consequences that rebelling could have on citizens. I loved that aspect! In many YA books, the hero/heroine jump ship to the rebels without even stopping to think if they were truly any better, or to at least weigh the pros/cons first. Bronwyn Eley excelled with that part of the book.
Overall, I thought Relic was a great debut fantasy book! I really enjoyed the main character and the premise of the story. This is the first book in a trilogy and I look forward to seeing what happens next!
3.5 stars
ARC provided by the publisher.
Relic is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy that is sure to impress many readers, myself included. With a strong heroine, excellent worldbuilding, and a very interesting premise, this was one heck of an entertaining story!
The premise of Relic felt really unique and fascinating, which is what originally drew me to the story. The book follows our protagonist, Kaylan, who has been chosen to be the next shadow: a personal servant to the Lord whom basically absorbs all the negative energy and pain given off by their magical relic. The worldbuilding present in Relic was truly excellent. It was so easy to understand how the world worked without feeling confused or overwhelmed. Bronwyn Eley did a great job with placing the necessary pieces into the story and avoiding any information dumping.
I found Kaylan to be an excellent heroine! She was smart, caring, and resilient. Family and friendships mean a lot to her and are a central part of the story. She showed a lot of grit and determination in trying to solve her predicament, unwilling to simply roll over and accept her fate. I also thought she was very astute and made good decisions. For instance, when learning about a rebellion brewing, rather than joining forces with them straight away, she makes note of the negative consequences that rebelling could have on citizens. I loved that aspect! In many YA books, the hero/heroine jump ship to the rebels without even stopping to think if they were truly any better, or to at least weigh the pros/cons first. Bronwyn Eley excelled with that part of the book.
Overall, I thought Relic was a great debut fantasy book! I really enjoyed the main character and the premise of the story. This is the first book in a trilogy and I look forward to seeing what happens next!
August 5, 2021
Disclaimer: Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by publisher as part of Caffeine Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to thank Shealea @ShutUpShealea and Talem Press for this opportunity! This does not in any affect my options on the book.
I really enjoyed reading his book and getting to know the city of Edriast.
the book at first gave me major Hunger Games vibes and soon, it developed into something bigger and much more complex than that.
The world building is great - it's slow and steady and kept me intrigues and wanting to learn more about the way this world worked.
The protagonist, Kaylan was brave and courageous but she was also human, and sometimes she lost hope and made the wrong choices.
She is condemned to sure death when she becomes the next shadow and we follow her journey as she goes to the palace to serve Lord Rennard. She tries to maintain hope and fight for the shadows that will come after she is gone and as she does so, we see her trying to fight even in the face of death.
She has various supporting characters that help her and keep her moving forward, especially her childhood friend Shae.
There are also hints of romance in the book which make the book a little lighter and fluffier, and I loved the relationship between Markus and Kaylan.
Lord Rennard was another fascinating character, he is the villain everyone is sure they hate and they love to hate but we could see there was something more complex behind it. He is a hard character to figure out and he exists strictly in the gray area and sometimes, you're wondering what made him this way.
The book is dark and thrilling and gripping until the end Once I picked it up, I just couldn't put it down!
I really can not wait to read the next book in the series, especially after the ending of this book with left me gobsmacked and even though its been quite a few days since I finished reading his book, I still can not decide what I feel about it.
I really enjoyed reading his book and getting to know the city of Edriast.
the book at first gave me major Hunger Games vibes and soon, it developed into something bigger and much more complex than that.
The world building is great - it's slow and steady and kept me intrigues and wanting to learn more about the way this world worked.
The protagonist, Kaylan was brave and courageous but she was also human, and sometimes she lost hope and made the wrong choices.
She is condemned to sure death when she becomes the next shadow and we follow her journey as she goes to the palace to serve Lord Rennard. She tries to maintain hope and fight for the shadows that will come after she is gone and as she does so, we see her trying to fight even in the face of death.
She has various supporting characters that help her and keep her moving forward, especially her childhood friend Shae.
There are also hints of romance in the book which make the book a little lighter and fluffier, and I loved the relationship between Markus and Kaylan.
Lord Rennard was another fascinating character, he is the villain everyone is sure they hate and they love to hate but we could see there was something more complex behind it. He is a hard character to figure out and he exists strictly in the gray area and sometimes, you're wondering what made him this way.
The book is dark and thrilling and gripping until the end Once I picked it up, I just couldn't put it down!
I really can not wait to read the next book in the series, especially after the ending of this book with left me gobsmacked and even though its been quite a few days since I finished reading his book, I still can not decide what I feel about it.
February 14, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Relic is the first book in the Relic Trilogy. It begins the story of Kaylan. She was a blacksmith until she was chosen to become the Shadow of Lord Rennard. The Shadow is basically a villager chosen at random become the Lord's personal servant. The job sounds simple enough. However, the Lord wears a magical stone around his neck known as the Relic. This stone protects Rennard's bloodline at the expense of whoever is in close proximity to him. It literally poisons anyone around him. The nickname, the Shadow is given to his personal servant because eventually that person wastes away and dies. Kaylan is already resigned to her fate until she finds out about a plot which may save her life...
I loved how much this book focused on Kaylan's loyalty to her family. I admired that even if offered a chance to escape, she would have refused to save her family. That was admirable.
I also found her friends to be well chosen. Shae always tried to help her no matter what. Jesper and Markus also found themselves risking a lot to keep her safe. The author made these characters extremely likeable.
The plot moved quickly and I found myself engrossed in it from beginning to end. I actually bought the 2nd book to find out what happened next for Kaylan. I needed to know!
This author is extremely talented and it showed in this book especially when I realized this was her very first book. I would definitely be trying more of her writing.
This book had some sexual innuendo and kissing. There was some violence but no obscene language. I would suggest that this book is read by older teens and adults.
Relic is the first book in the Relic Trilogy. It begins the story of Kaylan. She was a blacksmith until she was chosen to become the Shadow of Lord Rennard. The Shadow is basically a villager chosen at random become the Lord's personal servant. The job sounds simple enough. However, the Lord wears a magical stone around his neck known as the Relic. This stone protects Rennard's bloodline at the expense of whoever is in close proximity to him. It literally poisons anyone around him. The nickname, the Shadow is given to his personal servant because eventually that person wastes away and dies. Kaylan is already resigned to her fate until she finds out about a plot which may save her life...
I loved how much this book focused on Kaylan's loyalty to her family. I admired that even if offered a chance to escape, she would have refused to save her family. That was admirable.
I also found her friends to be well chosen. Shae always tried to help her no matter what. Jesper and Markus also found themselves risking a lot to keep her safe. The author made these characters extremely likeable.
The plot moved quickly and I found myself engrossed in it from beginning to end. I actually bought the 2nd book to find out what happened next for Kaylan. I needed to know!
This author is extremely talented and it showed in this book especially when I realized this was her very first book. I would definitely be trying more of her writing.
This book had some sexual innuendo and kissing. There was some violence but no obscene language. I would suggest that this book is read by older teens and adults.
December 2, 2020
This dark fantasy debut from Bronwyn Eley is fascinating and unique among the new releases I've read in the last 2 years. Following Kaylan through the trial of being the Shadow to Lord Rennard and reading her thoughts as she comes to terms with what being Lord Rennard's Shadow will ultimately lead her death.
Kaylan does everything she has for her family and shows her strong character in the most difficult circumstances. Relic has excellent world building; you can almost feel yourself in the streets of Edriast alongside Kaylan. Bronwyn's writing provides excellent placing throughout the story, avoiding any information dumping, while also keeping the pace of the story to keep you enthralled. Bronwyn Eley also manages to include a budding romance into the story without it being an overwhelming large plot in the story, as with most YA novels.
Kaylan is smart, caring, resilient and strong. Her relationships mean a lot to her and are a central part of the story. She showed a lot of strength and determination in the hand given to her, and is unwilling to simply accept her fate without question. With twists and turns in the plot and an ending you do not see coming with revelations for Kaylan and her friends, I cannot wait to read the sequel in this Trilogy .
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kaylan does everything she has for her family and shows her strong character in the most difficult circumstances. Relic has excellent world building; you can almost feel yourself in the streets of Edriast alongside Kaylan. Bronwyn's writing provides excellent placing throughout the story, avoiding any information dumping, while also keeping the pace of the story to keep you enthralled. Bronwyn Eley also manages to include a budding romance into the story without it being an overwhelming large plot in the story, as with most YA novels.
Kaylan is smart, caring, resilient and strong. Her relationships mean a lot to her and are a central part of the story. She showed a lot of strength and determination in the hand given to her, and is unwilling to simply accept her fate without question. With twists and turns in the plot and an ending you do not see coming with revelations for Kaylan and her friends, I cannot wait to read the sequel in this Trilogy .
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 14, 2019
An amazing novel. Loved the story and characters. Can't wait for the next book.
Merged review:
Loved it!!!!
I loved the story and the characters were great, i even cried. This book gives you all the emotions. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Merged review:
Loved it!!!!
I loved the story and the characters were great, i even cried. This book gives you all the emotions. I can't wait to see what happens next.
October 6, 2019
I loved this book. The relentless twists and turns keep you guessing right to the very end. I couldn’t put it down! The writing is very clever, you get lulled into a false sense of security and then WHAM! Plot twist! Oh, and another one! What a brilliant debut.
July 15, 2020
Look. Round it up to 2.5 if you're feeling generous. It's hard cause I feel like this book had some super promising elements... but all in all a let down for me w a wishy washy main character, no really likeable characters besides the dogs, and too much telling not enough showing in the writing. 👏
September 21, 2020
I AM SCREAMING.
review to come.
review to come.
December 26, 2019
A unique view of social structure and how it can guide character and plot bonds.
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