A Secret in Onyx

Onyx #1

by Jessica Florence

"A high fantasy ride that will have readers on the edge of their seats cheering for the underdogs! Don't miss this Fae fantasy read, this one will have your heart racing, and left screaming for more." Amelia Hutchins, #1 International bestselling author of the Fae Chronicles and Nine Realms

"If you love Sarah J Maas, or fae fantasy worlds in general, you NEED to read this book!" ~ SincerelyABibliophile

EVERYTHING I knew died when the end of the world came. People dropped dead, and electricity vanished. Those who remained alive were never the same again.

While on the run with my boyfriend Tor across the desolate continent, the worst humanity had left attacked. Torn from the one I love, I boldly raced for help at the last human safe zone.

Only it’s not humans I found, but the Fae.

Now I have one month to rescue my boyfriend and release a savior princess from an onyx tomb or lose them both forever. A seemingly impossible task when Rune, a cursed, pain in the ass Fae warrior is assigned to train me. He's hellbent on freeing his beloved princess and I’m desperate to save Tor. But no matter how hard we snarl during training; we can’t stay away from each other.

I thought the worst thing that could happen to me was the apocalypse.

I was wrong.

Genres: Fantasy, Fae, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance, Dragons, Dystopia

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2020

About the author

Jessica Florence writes the stories that her fellow nerds yearn for.

From Superheroes to Sexy Truckers, Jessica is known to give readers unique tales of hope where love conquers all. Stories that melt away reality and take you on a journey with the characters. If escapism is what you are looking for, then look no further. Jessica is the Queen of weaving the tales you may not normally pick up but find yourself not being able to put down.

Jessica’s always had a love of reading, and her love of books lead her to start writing in the 9th grade. She quickly learned that storytelling was her passion. Inspired by movies, music, and her personal life she writes like it’s the very air she breathes. Through her writing it’s evident that she lives for the stories she creates.

Jessica resides in North Carolina with her daughter, husband, and various animals. She loves to be outside, write in her hammock, and collect tea mugs.

CONNECT WITH J-FLO:

➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/jessicaflorenceauthor
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/authorjessicaflorence

➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/florencejess
➜ WEBSITE: www.Jessicaflorenceauthor.com

Reviews

[Cleo B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it through this book because I wanted to be able to write an informed review, but I'll preface by saying this is not a complimentary review.

It's not often that you can see exactly which books an author read right before writing. I'm a strong believer that you shouldn't be able to tell - you can tell the same story but with your own flair and create something which leaves readers with grabby hands for more.

That being said, I know exactly what Jessica Florence read for this book.

If you have read The 5th Wave or A Court of Mist and Fury, you don't need to read this book. If you haven't, read those instead. We also had some very generic "fae prince," "fae realm," "love triangle/square," "special snowflake," tropes for which I can't say which books they came from, specifically, so much as, trust me, it's not original.

I also had problems with the writing itself:

1. Show-don't-tell was not really a thing here, more "always tell, occasionally show, but follow it up with a tell, just in case," which is pretty insulting as a reader and also exhausting because there is little space for imagination

2. Ham-fisted 'evil' people characterisations: they are evil because the history book says so, they're irredeemable because they loot and pillage... In reality, even psychopaths do something because of some benefit to them i.e. it gains them status, pleasure, power etc. Just telling me the 'villains' want to kill makes them completely 2D

3. Use of rape / attempted rape as a plot device (I don't think this needs explanation on why it's not great)

4. 'Plot twists' you can see coming for a while, which, while not a writing crime or even unique, just take the fun out of reading and make the characters' shock seem unbelievable

All of this being said, I'm still planning to read the next book, but that's because I love me a good bad book. That's a me problem, though...

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is dystopian fantasy it's mostly plot-driven there is romance but it's very much a background thing rather than the focus.
There’s also a slight love triangle which is a hated trope of mine here it didn’t actually bother me.
Draman’s are the humans that now rule their weaker counterparts, They kill torture sell breed and eat those they take.

Sapphira is journeying with her protector Tor to a supposed safe place on this journey he regales her with stories of a magical Fae world.
Nearing their destination they are set upon outnumbered Tor is captured whilst Sapphira escapes.
Reaching this safe place she discovers that Tor’s stories are in fact true and also that he hasn’t been entirely honest with her.
Now faced with not only rescuing Tor but freeing the Onyx princess from her eternal slumber Sapphira must prepare herself for the battle ahead.
With the help of her new friends, this is the start of a journey that will reveal many truths.

This is told from Sapphira’s POV and the story is very tame in regards to the heat, Not a criticism just an observation.
I did find this a little slow in places and I did guess the twist quite early on.
I thought this was imaginative and had some good ideas but I did find some of the characters especially Rune and Tor slightly underdeveloped I don’t think we got to know them beyond the superficial here so I’m hoping book two expands on this, This also had a very tell not show style of narration.

One thing that did bother me though was that Sapphira hardly reacted at all to the fact that Tor had been withholding crucial information from her, you’d think she’d have a bit more of a reaction than she did or at least some anger but it didn’t even blip on her radar which I found strange.
I’m going to give the next book a try I’m still invested enough at the moment to continue on as I did enjoy certain aspects of this story it just also had some weaknesses for me as well.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Secret in Onyx is a difficult book to review. I think the idea behind the story was good, but I felt like the book needed some polishing/editing to improve it. In the beginning of the story, the reader is really rushed through the end of the world, who the dramens are, how Sapphira and Tor met, and the reality of the Fae world. As the story continues, there are many other details that are underdeveloped, including some of the main characters and the battle scenes. When the story ends, there were many loose ends that I didn't think were wrapped up or explained well. I did like the Fae world that Florence created and several of the minor characters were unique and enjoyable, too.

I don't think I will continue on with the series. Overall, I thought the story was interesting, but there were many missing details that I found too distracting. I also didn't feel a strong enough connection to Tor/Saphirra/Rune to want to find out what happens to them.

[Anas Attic Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Secret In Onyx by Jessica Florence
Book One in a Trilogy. Post-apocalyptic Fantasy.  

I’m not normally a fantasy reader, Sure, I have read a few (The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning…OMG), and there have been fae as side characters or mentions in other paranormal books that I have read, but it’s not my regular read. However, I kept seeing Jessica Florence on social media saying this was her favorite book she has written. Since I was looking for something different to get me out of this pandemic book funk, I bought A Secret in Onyx by Jessica Florence .

The reason why I am telling you my history is so you know that I don’t really have any comparison. I don’t quite know what is “standard” in fae world and what is Jessica’s unique spin. Either way, I loved it. The creativity it takes to set up a whole new world really showcased this author’s imagination and I am glad I got to witness it.



A Secret in Onyx takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are few and far between and there are these evil Dramens (I think they’re like zombies) that try to kill any human they see. Sapphira and her boyfriend Tor are traveling across the country to a place that Tor knows is safe, but they get separated and Sapphira finds it on her own. To her surprise, the stories Tor had been telling her about the Fae realm weren't just fairytales, this was the safe place Tor was bringing her to. When the world fell, so did their magic, but Sapphira just may be the one to help them get it back.

I love Jessica’s take on the fae. The fae “cores” are from nature and each fae has personalities that reflect that. Royalty has gem cores. The librarian (I loved her) has an owl core.



We have a little love quadrangle (though one of them is locked away in onyx), so it’s more of a triangle. There was a lot of dangerous excitement, some romance, and even dragons in this story and it kept me glued to the pages. A Secret in Onyx is book #1 in a trilogy and I can’t wait to read more!

Likes:

•A unique combination of post-apocalyptic and fantasy.
•Kept me glued to the pages needing to figure out what was going on.
•It was sexy and exciting.
•Jessica’s fae “cores”.
•I really loved all the characters.
•It took me out of my ‘pandemic head’ and brought me to another realm for a little while.
•Left me dying for the next.

Dislikes:

•I feel like I needed a lot more information on what actually happened to the world and what exactly the Dramens are and how they get like that.
•I kind of forgot about Tor because I didn’t get a chance to get attached to him.
•There was a bit too much telling but not showing.

The Down and Dirty:
I am hooked. Jessica Florence has me totally engrossed in a post-apocalyptic fantasy—two genres that I rarely read, and I am waiting like crazy for the next. Reading this was kind of a reset for me and it got me back into picking up books again. Her unique take on the fae was creative, and there were so many other creatures in both the fae and human realm that I look forward to reading more about.  If you like fantasy or dystopian romance you should absolutely try A Secret in Onyx. Hell, even if they aren't your regular genres, now is a great time to change!

Rating: 4 Stars 3.5 Heat

Purchase A Secret in Onyx by Jessica Florence


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[Mg ♥ The Bookishmedialite · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS ONE. Review to follow :)

[Zarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
I received and ARC in exchange for an honest review. And I'm so glad I've been giving this opportunity.
This was an adventure I didn't know I need it. Loved the world the story developed, it is a mixing of my to favorite topics: fae and post apocalyptic worlds. The story got me hooked since chapter one, it just has a mixing of worlds and characters you can't resist. The surprises and clues given to you as the story progresses, and it just gets to a point where you are almost ripping your hair out due to the curiosity to know what is really happening.
Loved the magic system, the use of cores as a source of your magic and aspects of your personality is something really interesting and unique.
And especially don't forget about Rune.

I just can't resist the brooding Fae with a hostile attitude and a heart of gold.
The only thing that I want right now is the second part of this series...

[Jessica Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Book I've Ever Written!!! Loved it so much!

[Christa]

Not gonna rate this one because I made it to about 30% and then skimmed some and skipped to the ending. It’s a dystopian with fae, fated mates, lost princes, and love triangles.

I really had hopes with the premise but I couldn’t get into the writing style. It was short and choppy and didn’t hold my attention.

[Olivia Wildenstein]

Such a creative distopia! Loved the prose and the characters.

[Mena]

11 year old wattpad obsessed me would've ate this up, stilted writing and all...

22 year old me no comment....

For that reason I'm not gonna star it

[Melissa Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what epicness is made of! Jessica has grown so incredibly much in her storytelling but this is her pinnacle! This story takes you in magical places and will have your imagination running wild and full of hero’s and loveable and not so loveable characters! The ending I sure did NOT see coming and will have you excited for her next book!!!

[Jill Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The story was great- I couldn’t put it down! I loved Sapphira’s development as a character. And brooding Rune has officially stolen a piece of my heart.

[Hibby Musé · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book y’all, the motherfucking plottwist!! I was on the edge of my seat, rambling incoherent thoughts. I love it when a book can surprise me over and over again. I’ve been cursed with predictability in books lately. It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy book, especially one that made me feel the suspense, the excitement, and fear and every other emotion imaginable.

Jessica created a beautiful world of Fae, humans and mystical creatures alike. It will take you on an adventurous, mystery filled journey that will have you on the edge of your mother effing seat!!

[Nikki H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book it wasn't my favorite but the romance was good and the ending was a little bit of a surprise

[Callie Nix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is the plot predictable and overdone? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

the beginning of this book was so so boring and slow. the writing style is not my favorite, but it did get better as the book went on.

the idea of the fae having cores of gems or animals was super interesting

the ending was super abrupt but i am looking forward to reading the next books

— read with fi

[Chandra (sincerelyabiblio) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Sarah J Maas, or fae fantasy worlds in general, you NEED to read this book.

Synopsis:

Basically, the human race has fallen and is now run by these bloodthirsty, deranged humans called the Dramens. Sapphira is one of the few human survivors and is traveling with her boyfriend, Tor, to reach a safe haven. Tor ends up captured and tells Sapphira she has to keep going and reach this safe haven. When she reaches this place, she discovers it’s actually a land of fae where magic has disappeared. She spends her time there working on her fighting skills so she can save her boyfriend. Rune, their army captain, takes over her training and they for some reason cannot stay away from each other. It’s a story full of twists, turns and secret after secret that Sapphira must unravel.


Review: (very minor spoilers, basically nothing more than what you get from the back of the book)
Three pros:
1. The storyline was so good and full of twists. I was constantly surprised and it had me finishing over half of this book in a couple hours.
2. I loved the main character. She went from a scared survivor to a warrior badass. I enjoyed her development a lot! Her relationships are amazing and I am excited to see where their stories go as well as hers. I have a feeling some of them have motives that haven’t been fully delved into just yet.
3. This book had unique world building that made it really fun to read! The whole idea of nature cores driving a faes power is so interesting.

Three cons:
1. Despite this novel being in first person, we still don’t learn things at the same time the main character does. When she figures things out, we’re still far behind. This sometimes made it feel like I had missed something but finally I had to accept that I would figure it out if I just kept going.
2. I have a lot of questions about the end of the world. I don’t really understand what happened. A lot of it didn’t make sense, why are these humans after all the others? How come some of them are cannibals and others want “normal” humans to sell? I found it difficult to understand what made them the way they are. But to be fair, Sapphira did not understand either and it was in first person.
3. I felt very little connection to Tor as a character. I felt like he was irrelevant the second he was kidnapped. Yes, she was fighting for him. But within the 6 months they had been together, we only saw a hint of him for over the course of a few days.

Overall thoughts:
I have read so many books and stories that talked about the fae. This book specifically has such a unique magic system which really drew me into how this world worked when magic existed.

This novel had everything I love in a novel, my biggest complaint is that I wish it was longer. The only other thing I felt was missing from this novel was the human world-building. I want to understand more of what happened. We spent such a short amount of time here and it seems like a really important part of the story. I’m hoping the next one will give more answers about it!

[Novel Grounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUYS! We got a dystopian high fantasy from Jessica Florence and it was EVERYTHING. I went into early labor a few weeks ago and the entire time I was being stuck and monitored I devoured this book. If a book is good enough to distract you from contractions then you KNOW it is AMAZING.
Plus, Jessica wrote it.



This book had some huge twists that I absolutely didn't see coming and a few that I had crossed my fingers about.

I loved the characters for the very tart and the promise of the book as so unique and interesting that you get sucked into it form the start. I wanted to know what was coming next and was compelled to keep reading.

The character sin this book are complex and not at all what you see coming. I loved the banter between some of them and the angsty animosity between others left you absolute giddy while reading.

This book ended with the perfect bang and now I cannot wait for book two. This is not a Cliffy ending, HOWEVER it leaves you salivating for the next read!

[Brenna Vreeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly! This book catches you in and drags you under. There's so many twists and turns that you don't know where you'll end up. This book has: Fae royalty, crabby (smoking hot) generals, dragons, unicorns and mysteries. Jessica Florence takes Fae to a whole new level by giving them "cores" of nature or gem stones. She wrapped this diamond crusted world up in beautiful writing without ever overloading you with information. This book ended too soon and I can't wait for the second one!

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Books are weapons, my dearest friend, and I’ve read a lot of books.”

I received an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review, and HOLY MOLY!! I fell for this book and I absolutely loved the story! The fae world is new and and totally interesting. As the story progressed the writing style and the world building continued to grow. You could tell how much thought went into the unique concepts of the fae power. The story is fast passed and possibly needs a little tweaking in the beginning (i felt the beginning was rushed) but the story kept me wanting to read more and more.
I’m so glad I got a chance to read this!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

L O V E - L O V E - L O V E D. Wow I’m in awe. Probably by far the BEST book I’ve read my Jessica Florence. She took fantasy to the next level and left me speechless. Not only was this story written with so much depth and brilliance, it left me wanting so much more of this amazing world of fantasy that Jessica Florence created in that beautiful head of hers.

5 MUST READ STARS!

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”Like a match when it touched the striker box, our world lit into flames. Our bodies were magnetic, and there was no resistance this time."

I’d been dying to read this book for months! If you enjoy Secret destinies, Faeries and enemies to lovers, you’ll enjoy this book.

This book starts off with Sapphira and her boyfriend trying to get to a safe location after the apocalypse. I enjoyed the world building and the secret surrounding the Onyx and princess Nyx. I was able to predict most of the “plot twists” and the outcomes of certain situations in the story though. I also wished we could’ve read more instead of being told. There were a few instances where instead of reading and experiencing what happens, we were just told the information.

My issues with this book was Sapphira. She’s thrown into a intense situation and instead of being worried, scared, angry for being lied to, etc she just kind of accepts it and does what she has to do to complete the mission given to her. I wanted to see more emotion from her considering she’d just been thrown into a land full of Fae, and told her duty was to save a prince and princess. I also thought Rune’s mean, idgaf, don’t speak to me attitude melted away, well, out of nowhere.

There’s a love triangle that’s actually more of a love square that I’m seriously interested in seeing how it plays out. I’m not a huge fan of love triangles but this one has mates, lies (and maybe not mates??) all bundled together and I have to see the outcome haha

3.5/5 ✰’s

[Floralindblueskin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for giving me the ARC cause I devoured A Secret in Onyx in less than a day. The story is fast paced and delivered exactly what it promised with enough twists and turns to keep me at the edge of my seat throughout the whole time I was reading it. The story takes place on the settings of a post-apocalyptic urban world and the fae realm. The characters range from fae to other mystical beings such as dragons and werewolves. Lastly, the plot doesn't fall into one single general trope that most other fantasy fae stories fall into nowadays.

All that being said, I have treated this story as an indie work, which is a short and a fun read. I wish there was a bit more world building and character development because I couldn't get attached to the characters enough to care. I have read my fair share of fantasy books with mystical beings, enough to identify parts in this story that were inspired from plots from other books. Even with the lack of originality, it didn't feel like I have read this before because it was an odd mix of inspirations from several other books.

I do look forward to the next installment in the series and hope it will deliver more about the world and characters Jessica has created.

P.S Absolutely LOVED the book cover!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. This book had me on the edge of my seat! I have always been a big fan of anything fae related, this book is no exception. In the beginning I was a little confused, I had been told this was about fae, but it started out in a post-apocalyptic world. I was quickly drawn in by the characters and the backstory. This was a very nice mix of post-apocalyptic & fae. The setting changes, introduction of new characters, the drama, the tension....bliss. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. I totally didn’t see the ending coming & can’t wait to see what happens next!!! Very well written!
I did receive this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much!!!

I freaking loved this. That ending.....holy smokes, what a story. This is why I read fantasy, it just swept me away where I was running for my life, riding dragons and having tea with a queen who was lost, and so much more. The evil Dramen that live in this post apocalyptic world are your nightmares nightmare, just scary. The Fae in this have their magic in their core, and their world hidden. There's a bit going on but great stories of love and friendship and sacrifice are woven throughout, plus an evil king and an awaiting army which I'm hoping is in the next book. I know my review is a bit scattered and I apologize. I just finished this and I'm still trying to process everything. Most definitely would recommend, curl up and go far far away.

[Paula Valerio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one special book. As always Jessica writes and creates amazing worlds. Everything is dark and new and so original giving light to magical. I find this book to be a genuine and enchanting adventure. Sapphira and Rune took my breath away. I loved the twists and turns and I'm so excited to read more.

[Angie Tarter · Rating 4 out of 5]

So absolutely love the characters , storyline, and turns on this adventure.
This story is fast paced. I am what I call a skimmer because sometimes authors take way to long to build a plot, story line or character. Jessica did a great job with this story and I love the twist and ties it brings. If you love fae, fantasy, adventure, and mystery well this is a read for you

[Pretty_Book_Whore Narissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an EPIC ADVENTURE!!! Jessica leaves you guessing what the clues are that Shappira pieced together so that when it came time for it to be revealed you were just as shocked as everyone else. A secret in onyx is an amazing paranormal dystopian adventure that you need to read!

[Elle Brockett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the most disappointing part of this book was untouched potential.
I bought this book because of an ad that came up on my feed on Facebook, saying that it was for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and as a great fan of Maas and all things Fae related, I decided that 'A Secret in Onyx' was definitely a book for me.
That thought could not have been further from the truth.
For a book about Fae that is only 230-something pages long, taking 8 chapters to even get to the Fae was far too long. Something that could have been summed up in one chapter, or one discussion between characters was drawn out over 8 soul-draining chapters and that was nearly enough for me to put the book down. But then I noticed something that made me determined to finish - at the beginning, the Kindle App estimated that it would take me just over 4 hours to read the book but when I considered adding it to my DNF pile, it said I only had 1 hour and 30 minutes remaining.
8 chapters in. and I'd more than halved the reading time.
So I decided to power through - it could either get better, or I'd have something to rant about.
And boy, do I have a rant.
The protagonist is one of the least likeable protagonists I have come across. From her wild swings in mood, to the way she thought and spoke - and let us not discuss the comparisons between herself (as a character of colour) and the other 'beautiful, pale' Fae.
And no, before I get the comments, the 'twist' does not excuse this, not when it comes from an author as white as myself.
I don't want to go into too much detail, because if people still want to read this book, they should be able to do so without knowing what's coming - which is difficult enough when everything is so spelled out.
The characters were so underdeveloped that I felt nothing for them, the plot was so predictable yet so choppy that it made it difficult to slough through the last few chapters.
And it's so frustrating because at it's core (don't get me started on CORES), this could have been a really good book, but it was just so poorly executed.
I don't understand how this book could have had two editors attached and still have simple mistakes such as spelling 'wary' with two r's.
I thought that perhaps this was Florence's debut novel, and for that I would have been more forgiving, but she has written enough books that I simply don't understand how this could have come across at a calibre as low as it is. This book needed to be longer, it needed to be restructured, and it needed to have more substance.
More love needed to be poured into this book, because it honestly feels like she was just wanting to branch out into a genre that was gaining traction in order to sell as many copies as she could without having to really put in the effort or care whether her readers actually liked it.
And yeah, I am well aware that there are many positive reviews of this book on Goodreads, and I simply don't understand why. Perhaps the plot was enough for them, but personally, I am beyond disappointed.
I hope Florence starts rethinking her writing style and takes more care in her work, because her underlying ideas are good, but the execution is just poor.

[Tracy Books_Beers_Brews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon Book!

First this book has been on my TBR list forever and another book always came along that I wanted to read first. That was incredibly stupid of me. The only solace is that now I will get to start book two right away and not have to wait for it’s release.

The story begins with Sapphire and her boyfriend Tor making their way across what was once the US in search of the promise of safety in a human colony. They continue while running and hiding from the Dramen, the most ruthless and uncivilized of the remaining humans. When Sapphire makes it to safety, it isn’t with the humans that she finds refuge, but with the Fae, beings she thought only existed in fairytales. But everything is not as it seems, a mystery needs to be solved along with saving a Prince and releasing the trapped Princess who will bring back the lost magic.

This is a slow burn post apocalyptic romance with a Fae twist. There are no steamy scenes in this book, but there is a lot of buildup for what is to come. The storyline is so original and there are so many hiding tidbits when you look back. I am so mad at myself for not starting this series sooner and I can’t wait to read book 2. Absolutely 5/5 stars for this book!