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The Skazka Chronicles #1
Remembering Majyk
I never believed in fairy tales—until I was thrust into one.
My first experience? Creatures straight out of a modern day Dr. Frankenstein’s handbook attacking me at a party. Then, everything spirals out of control as I discover my human memories are a lie.
I have a target painted on my back. The Masters of Shadowlands are after the Relic of Knowledge. If they find it, the world will be plunged into darkness.
As my real memories begin to resurface, I can no longer hide from the truth: I am a Volshebnitsya of High Real of Skazka. My duty is to protect the relic—whatever the cost.
There’s just one small problem…I have no idea where I hid it.
My only hope is to trust the mysterious Brendan. He’s protective and seems to know more about me than I know about myself.
At every turn, another secret is revealed and another monster of Russian lore is waiting. The secrets inside of my mind are my destiny and my undoing.
Can I save the world from darkness? Or will darkness become my undoing?
Supernatural meets Once Upon a Time in this fast paced and addicting fantasy series!
My first experience? Creatures straight out of a modern day Dr. Frankenstein’s handbook attacking me at a party. Then, everything spirals out of control as I discover my human memories are a lie.
I have a target painted on my back. The Masters of Shadowlands are after the Relic of Knowledge. If they find it, the world will be plunged into darkness.
As my real memories begin to resurface, I can no longer hide from the truth: I am a Volshebnitsya of High Real of Skazka. My duty is to protect the relic—whatever the cost.
There’s just one small problem…I have no idea where I hid it.
My only hope is to trust the mysterious Brendan. He’s protective and seems to know more about me than I know about myself.
At every turn, another secret is revealed and another monster of Russian lore is waiting. The secrets inside of my mind are my destiny and my undoing.
Can I save the world from darkness? Or will darkness become my undoing?
Supernatural meets Once Upon a Time in this fast paced and addicting fantasy series!
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2020
32 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Valia Lind
66 books449 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author. Photographer. Artist. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Valia Lind has always had a love for the written word. She wrote her first published book on the bathroom floor of her dormitory, while procrastinating to study for her college classes. Upon graduation, she has moved her writing to more respectable places, and has found her voice in Young Adult fiction.
In 2015, her YA thriller, Pieces of Revenge, was the recipient of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award.
You can visit her online at http://valialind.com or follow her on Instagram, where she spends way too much time, @ValiaLind.
For a free book, sign up for her newsletter --> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/f0t1xi1qmr
In 2015, her YA thriller, Pieces of Revenge, was the recipient of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award.
You can visit her online at http://valialind.com or follow her on Instagram, where she spends way too much time, @ValiaLind.
For a free book, sign up for her newsletter --> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/f0t1xi1qmr
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January 2, 2018Romantic tension that leaves you weak in the knees as Calista charges through a world of Russian folklore and majyk. This is the perfect read for fans of Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, and The Mortal Instruments!
FYI, just like Jace + Clary you will want to throw things at the lovely author for tormenting you with forbidden love, page after page. I adored this spin fairytales on majyk and Russian folklore and I can't wait for the next <<<3
FYI, just like Jace + Clary you will want to throw things at the lovely author for tormenting you with forbidden love, page after page. I adored this spin fairytales on majyk and Russian folklore and I can't wait for the next <<<3
June 16, 2020
I was sent an ebook copy by the author to review.
Remembering Majyk was the perfect page-turner to unwind at the end of a long day. Some elements of this story fell into the classic YA tropes: A magical dimension connected to our world through a series of gates, a villain hell bent on unleashing chaos, the ordinary protagonist who’s actually special and the handsome love interest who is madly in love with her. However, tropes are not necessarily a bad thing. The elements of Russian folklore gave a touch of novelty to the world and the story’s fast pace and the witty banter between the characters made this a quick read with many moments of hilarity in the midst of the adventure. Calista’s initial memory loss gave her a more relatable dimension as she struggles to come to terms with her role in a world she doesn’t remember and her own emotions toward Brendan, the love interest.
However, I would have liked the big reveals toward the end of the story to be more fleshed out. Though I see how they will make the rest of the series richer, they felt quite sudden and not as impactful as they could have been. The romance also didn’t convince me to the fullest. While Brendan is eye candy to its maximum capacity (insert drooling here), some of his overbearing behaviors didn’t sit well with me. I would have liked to see a touch less banter and a few more scenes of deep and meaningful interactions to better highlight Calista and Brendan’s long friendship and the forbidden aspect of their relationship.
Overall, a very fun, quick read that I recommend to lovers of YA fantasy.
Remembering Majyk was the perfect page-turner to unwind at the end of a long day. Some elements of this story fell into the classic YA tropes: A magical dimension connected to our world through a series of gates, a villain hell bent on unleashing chaos, the ordinary protagonist who’s actually special and the handsome love interest who is madly in love with her. However, tropes are not necessarily a bad thing. The elements of Russian folklore gave a touch of novelty to the world and the story’s fast pace and the witty banter between the characters made this a quick read with many moments of hilarity in the midst of the adventure. Calista’s initial memory loss gave her a more relatable dimension as she struggles to come to terms with her role in a world she doesn’t remember and her own emotions toward Brendan, the love interest.
However, I would have liked the big reveals toward the end of the story to be more fleshed out. Though I see how they will make the rest of the series richer, they felt quite sudden and not as impactful as they could have been. The romance also didn’t convince me to the fullest. While Brendan is eye candy to its maximum capacity (insert drooling here), some of his overbearing behaviors didn’t sit well with me. I would have liked to see a touch less banter and a few more scenes of deep and meaningful interactions to better highlight Calista and Brendan’s long friendship and the forbidden aspect of their relationship.
Overall, a very fun, quick read that I recommend to lovers of YA fantasy.
January 2, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review. I enjoyed the flashbacks while Calista was trying to remember who she was with the memory flashes. I loved the way that part was written. Why couldn’t the rest of the book have been written with as much passion. I found myself wanting to feel more as I read about the relationship between Cal and Brendan. How he was trying to care for her so that Majyk wouldn’t destroy her while she was coming to the realization of who she was. I just wanted more.
Cal left so willingly with Brendan without letting the readers know why. She just seemed so willing to leave everything behind because of some kid she’s known for a few months. She isn’t as strong as I would have liked for what her character should be. She was a general and the Protector. Maxwell and Brendan were constantly telling her that she was the Cal they knew due to her remarks and responses to situations, but as a reader, I didn’t feel that. She was not a strong enough character for me to continue reading the series. I was intrigued by the story and really wanted to enjoy it.
Cal left so willingly with Brendan without letting the readers know why. She just seemed so willing to leave everything behind because of some kid she’s known for a few months. She isn’t as strong as I would have liked for what her character should be. She was a general and the Protector. Maxwell and Brendan were constantly telling her that she was the Cal they knew due to her remarks and responses to situations, but as a reader, I didn’t feel that. She was not a strong enough character for me to continue reading the series. I was intrigued by the story and really wanted to enjoy it.
December 28, 2017
“Memory is personal; it’s the pieces of my life that make up who I am, and someone took that away from me.”
Calista is a college student at a party when creatures out of nightmares come and attack her. She is rescued by her crush Brendan, who knows more about her than she does.
It turns out someone has altered Calista’s memories. She knew Brendan from her life before, and memories of her former life are slowly resurfacing.
There’s a lot of romantic tension between Calista and Brendan that felt effortless. The cast of characters in this novel is not large, but each is well developed.
The tropes associated with memory loss were well done. I loved the ideas explored in this novel. I liked that while the memories returned, the emotions surrounding the memories did not. The flashes were like watching someone else make decisions, and they were not always the correct decisions.
The majyk system is great, and I adored the elements of Russian folklore and fairytales.
Calista’s memory comes back in flashes that bring pain. This goes on for the entire book and it weakened Calista’s character and felt repetitive.
There are a few spelling and grammatical errors that I noticed, but this is an arc so hopefully that will be corrected before publication.
I’d recommend this one for readers who like young adult and fairytale retellings.
Thanks Netgalley for the arc!
Calista is a college student at a party when creatures out of nightmares come and attack her. She is rescued by her crush Brendan, who knows more about her than she does.
It turns out someone has altered Calista’s memories. She knew Brendan from her life before, and memories of her former life are slowly resurfacing.
There’s a lot of romantic tension between Calista and Brendan that felt effortless. The cast of characters in this novel is not large, but each is well developed.
The tropes associated with memory loss were well done. I loved the ideas explored in this novel. I liked that while the memories returned, the emotions surrounding the memories did not. The flashes were like watching someone else make decisions, and they were not always the correct decisions.
The majyk system is great, and I adored the elements of Russian folklore and fairytales.
Calista’s memory comes back in flashes that bring pain. This goes on for the entire book and it weakened Calista’s character and felt repetitive.
There are a few spelling and grammatical errors that I noticed, but this is an arc so hopefully that will be corrected before publication.
I’d recommend this one for readers who like young adult and fairytale retellings.
Thanks Netgalley for the arc!
July 30, 2020
I enjoyed the fast pace of this book, which made this a very fun read. Remembering Majyk is the first adventurous book of The Skazka Chronicles, perfect for fans of Urban Fantasy.
When talking about the land of Skazka, there were elements of Russian folklore in the story that I found to be very intriguing! The Russian terminology made the fantasy world both familiar to me but at the same time new.
The protagonist, Calista, shows a lot of courage and willpower once she finds herself involved in a world of magic and sinister plots of which she is a part of but does not remember. Her journey is both inward and outward, where she struggles to remember who she is while outsmarting and outrunning those who would see her dead once they find what they seek. I loved how empowered she is with each new memory, and I also liked her love interest, Brendan. You guys know how much I enjoy a good romance with lots of chemistry in the books I read! Though some of their scenes were repetitive, I found myself rooting for them. Their connection was sizzling and thick with tension.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, I recommend the Skazka Chronicles for lovers of urban fantasy!
When talking about the land of Skazka, there were elements of Russian folklore in the story that I found to be very intriguing! The Russian terminology made the fantasy world both familiar to me but at the same time new.
The protagonist, Calista, shows a lot of courage and willpower once she finds herself involved in a world of magic and sinister plots of which she is a part of but does not remember. Her journey is both inward and outward, where she struggles to remember who she is while outsmarting and outrunning those who would see her dead once they find what they seek. I loved how empowered she is with each new memory, and I also liked her love interest, Brendan. You guys know how much I enjoy a good romance with lots of chemistry in the books I read! Though some of their scenes were repetitive, I found myself rooting for them. Their connection was sizzling and thick with tension.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, I recommend the Skazka Chronicles for lovers of urban fantasy!
February 2, 2018
RTC
Such a fun read! This definitely gave me Shadowhunter vibes, too. I can't wait to introduce you you all to Calista Faulkner aka one badass chick.
Such a fun read! This definitely gave me Shadowhunter vibes, too. I can't wait to introduce you you all to Calista Faulkner aka one badass chick.
January 29, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
Well I WAS hoping to make the first month of the year without any one star books, but alas, it is not to be. I first started getting worried when she described herself as 'ordinary' but with purplish eyes. Alarm bells starting ringing. Give it a chance! she says her hair is a color in between mud and chocolate.....until it starts going purple and red. -sigh- Aaaaaand we have a super speshul main character. I should add the love interest has ocean blue eyes with gold flecks...so yeah.
As we scream, faint, shriek and spasm our way through the story(?) we soon learn that Calista is special, hiding secrets and we spend chapter after chapter of getting very little information. The stuff we get is either unimportant, or not explained to add ~mystery~. No, it was just tedious.
Brendan who is generally a bit of an ass to Cal is the love interest, and is just about the least interesting character going. He's the forbidden fruit, although we don't know why, and we probably see forty scenes of intense stares and flashing eyes but nothing can happen (and nothing does, basically haha)
If you can't tell from my entirely negative review, no, I didn't enjoy this one. I hate that with Netgalley books. Anyway, better luck next time.
Well I WAS hoping to make the first month of the year without any one star books, but alas, it is not to be. I first started getting worried when she described herself as 'ordinary' but with purplish eyes. Alarm bells starting ringing. Give it a chance! she says her hair is a color in between mud and chocolate.....until it starts going purple and red. -sigh- Aaaaaand we have a super speshul main character. I should add the love interest has ocean blue eyes with gold flecks...so yeah.
As we scream, faint, shriek and spasm our way through the story(?) we soon learn that Calista is special, hiding secrets and we spend chapter after chapter of getting very little information. The stuff we get is either unimportant, or not explained to add ~mystery~. No, it was just tedious.
Brendan who is generally a bit of an ass to Cal is the love interest, and is just about the least interesting character going. He's the forbidden fruit, although we don't know why, and we probably see forty scenes of intense stares and flashing eyes but nothing can happen (and nothing does, basically haha)
If you can't tell from my entirely negative review, no, I didn't enjoy this one. I hate that with Netgalley books. Anyway, better luck next time.
June 16, 2020
I was sent an ebook copy by the author to review.
The speed with which I was able to read this book was a welcome distraction from the edits of my own novel. I had fun reading this book. Remembering Majyk is very easy to read and is perfect for fans of fantasy—especially Urban Fantasy. Calista is an ordinary girl who finds herself thrust into a story of magic and intrigue of which she is the unwitting protagonist. She comes from a parallel world, called Skazka, to oursand she is the Protector, tasked to guard a relic whose power could cause the distraction of the worlds if fallen into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, Calista remembers nothing of her past, and is very much convinced she is an ordinary human girl until trouble comes knocking at her door.
There are elements of Russian folklore woven into the story tied to the land of Skazka that I found very enjoyable and the protagonist was relatable in her moments of self-doubt and confusion. The more memories she uncovers, the more Calista questions herself and where she stands in the balance between good and evil. It made for a very compelling, morally gray protagonist.
The chemistry between Calista and Brendan turned this book into a page-turner. I was looking forward to reading their sizzling chemistry. The fact that Brendan is eye candy has nothing to do with this, of course. *wink wink* *nudge nudge* However, as it often happens with drama between characters, some of their scenes felt repetitive, because you can’t have the characters already jumping their bones but they really want to. Recovering her memories is also a painful experience for Calista, and those scenes felt a little repetitive as well the more we progressed with the story.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I am very curious to see how the story continues. I definitely recommend giving this gorgeous book a chance!
The speed with which I was able to read this book was a welcome distraction from the edits of my own novel. I had fun reading this book. Remembering Majyk is very easy to read and is perfect for fans of fantasy—especially Urban Fantasy. Calista is an ordinary girl who finds herself thrust into a story of magic and intrigue of which she is the unwitting protagonist. She comes from a parallel world, called Skazka, to oursand she is the Protector, tasked to guard a relic whose power could cause the distraction of the worlds if fallen into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, Calista remembers nothing of her past, and is very much convinced she is an ordinary human girl until trouble comes knocking at her door.
There are elements of Russian folklore woven into the story tied to the land of Skazka that I found very enjoyable and the protagonist was relatable in her moments of self-doubt and confusion. The more memories she uncovers, the more Calista questions herself and where she stands in the balance between good and evil. It made for a very compelling, morally gray protagonist.
The chemistry between Calista and Brendan turned this book into a page-turner. I was looking forward to reading their sizzling chemistry. The fact that Brendan is eye candy has nothing to do with this, of course. *wink wink* *nudge nudge* However, as it often happens with drama between characters, some of their scenes felt repetitive, because you can’t have the characters already jumping their bones but they really want to. Recovering her memories is also a painful experience for Calista, and those scenes felt a little repetitive as well the more we progressed with the story.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I am very curious to see how the story continues. I definitely recommend giving this gorgeous book a chance!
January 14, 2018
I received this e-arc from NetGalley in return for my honest opinion.
actual rating: 3,5 stars.
This book confused me, a lot. A lot was happening but there wasn't enough explanation. There was so much stuff, so many names and things happening, but I understood 50% of it. There were a lot of names and I had no idea what they were talking about. This is also the reason that I give the book 3,5 stars. But besides that, the book was really good. I really liked the characters and the story - for what I understood - was really cool. I highly enjoyed Valia's writing style and I'm looking forward to the second books. Because I still need to know what happens.
But it just occurred to me that I have a long time for book two. This book isn't even out yet. God.
actual rating: 3,5 stars.
This book confused me, a lot. A lot was happening but there wasn't enough explanation. There was so much stuff, so many names and things happening, but I understood 50% of it. There were a lot of names and I had no idea what they were talking about. This is also the reason that I give the book 3,5 stars. But besides that, the book was really good. I really liked the characters and the story - for what I understood - was really cool. I highly enjoyed Valia's writing style and I'm looking forward to the second books. Because I still need to know what happens.
But it just occurred to me that I have a long time for book two. This book isn't even out yet. God.
December 31, 2017
I received a digital ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Remembering Majyk is the first book in The Skazka Chronicles and when I read the plot I found it very interesting, so I started it with great expectations. Alas, it didn't live up to them. The story had the potential but in the end it was poorly developed. We have flat characters, repetitive scenes and patterns, the use of the same idioms (like 7/8 of them in only 100 pages, c'mon!). I also hoped in more elements of Russian folklore and fairytales, but they were rarely mentioned. Plus, the story dragged on like forever, we have some informations only towards the end.
I'm sorry but it's a big NO for me.
Remembering Majyk is the first book in The Skazka Chronicles and when I read the plot I found it very interesting, so I started it with great expectations. Alas, it didn't live up to them. The story had the potential but in the end it was poorly developed. We have flat characters, repetitive scenes and patterns, the use of the same idioms (like 7/8 of them in only 100 pages, c'mon!). I also hoped in more elements of Russian folklore and fairytales, but they were rarely mentioned. Plus, the story dragged on like forever, we have some informations only towards the end.
I'm sorry but it's a big NO for me.
January 28, 2018
This is a really short book about a girl who is tossed into a world of magic. Discovering she is from the world with no memories, she must recover her memories to save her kingdom.
I loved this! It’s definitely not the best writing but this is super enjoyable. It’s fast paced and the characters are fierce. The only reason I downed it to 3.5 from 4.5 was because the last 10% just started THROWING info at us. Her memories recovered very quickly and it left me slightly confused. I’m going to continue with this series!
I loved this! It’s definitely not the best writing but this is super enjoyable. It’s fast paced and the characters are fierce. The only reason I downed it to 3.5 from 4.5 was because the last 10% just started THROWING info at us. Her memories recovered very quickly and it left me slightly confused. I’m going to continue with this series!
January 25, 2018
Oh! I'm really loving that we're getting to explore other cultures in YA fantasy lately. This book brings us Russian folklore, with monsters and stories pulled from history. In places where the story fell off a little bit, the lore kept me flipping pages.
Valia Lind did a wonderful job with this story, pulling in elements of magic, lore, and the complicated mess of regaining lost memories. I did find a few things confusing--it felt like some the terms and names used weren't given enough explanation to be adequately explained.
In all, this is a solid start to a new series and I'm curious to see where it goes.
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Valia Lind did a wonderful job with this story, pulling in elements of magic, lore, and the complicated mess of regaining lost memories. I did find a few things confusing--it felt like some the terms and names used weren't given enough explanation to be adequately explained.
In all, this is a solid start to a new series and I'm curious to see where it goes.
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2018
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
Calista is one bad ass chick! I enjoyed this quick read. It reminded me of The Iron Fey Series which is one of my favorite series. Magical creatures, kingdom under attack, and a forbidden love are the words that best desribe this book. I hope the author continues with this series. I will be looking forward to the second.
Calista is one bad ass chick! I enjoyed this quick read. It reminded me of The Iron Fey Series which is one of my favorite series. Magical creatures, kingdom under attack, and a forbidden love are the words that best desribe this book. I hope the author continues with this series. I will be looking forward to the second.
January 17, 2018
I consider this read a Young Adult genre and I enjoyed it a lot. If you believe in magic and a Romeo and Juliet kind of love with twist and turns.
Calista is a 17 year old starting her first year college with her best friend Jemma then one night her life changes. Brendan is Calista's guardian of sorts and he's been searching for her since she disappeared. Unknown to Calista she is special in a magical way. She feels a connection to Brendan but doesn't know why. The night her life changes Brendan is there to save her and help be remember cause Calista doesn't remember who she really is.
Valia great job with this story. There's a bit of everything for the reader. There's forbidden love, mystery, and revenge. Your writing flows and keeps the reader enthralled once the action starts. I'm very interested in the next book to see what Calista does next. A must read!
**Reviewed for Sweet and Spicy Reads, ARC provided in return for an honest review**
Calista is a 17 year old starting her first year college with her best friend Jemma then one night her life changes. Brendan is Calista's guardian of sorts and he's been searching for her since she disappeared. Unknown to Calista she is special in a magical way. She feels a connection to Brendan but doesn't know why. The night her life changes Brendan is there to save her and help be remember cause Calista doesn't remember who she really is.
Valia great job with this story. There's a bit of everything for the reader. There's forbidden love, mystery, and revenge. Your writing flows and keeps the reader enthralled once the action starts. I'm very interested in the next book to see what Calista does next. A must read!
**Reviewed for Sweet and Spicy Reads, ARC provided in return for an honest review**
December 7, 2017
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
First, let’s talk about that cliff-hanger ending! I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2. It took me some time to get into the story, but around chapter 4 I quit asking questions and allowed myself to get whisked away with Calista and Brendan! I think they way I felt after each chapter was basically how Calista felt after each memory came back to her - shocked and wondering what else there could be. I found myself wanting to read every spare moment I got! Now that I’m finished, book 2 in The Skazka Chronicles can’t come soon enough! This has so many good elements; from the Russian Fairytales, to the self-actualization, and the forbidden love. Such a great story!
First, let’s talk about that cliff-hanger ending! I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2. It took me some time to get into the story, but around chapter 4 I quit asking questions and allowed myself to get whisked away with Calista and Brendan! I think they way I felt after each chapter was basically how Calista felt after each memory came back to her - shocked and wondering what else there could be. I found myself wanting to read every spare moment I got! Now that I’m finished, book 2 in The Skazka Chronicles can’t come soon enough! This has so many good elements; from the Russian Fairytales, to the self-actualization, and the forbidden love. Such a great story!
January 10, 2018
#Brenlista
I'm completely shipping Brendan and Calista. Let's just get that out there right now. Brendon's obvious devotion and love for Calista is sweet. There is a powerful chemistry between the two that cheering for them. All of the characters in this book, even the side characters like Jemma and Maxwell, are beautifully and creatively written with their own unique personalities that add a fun dynamic to the story. Even the fairytale aspect to this story has a distinct spin to it. Remembering Majyck is a remarkably romantic and fearless story with equal parts romance, magic. and war.
I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm completely shipping Brendan and Calista. Let's just get that out there right now. Brendon's obvious devotion and love for Calista is sweet. There is a powerful chemistry between the two that cheering for them. All of the characters in this book, even the side characters like Jemma and Maxwell, are beautifully and creatively written with their own unique personalities that add a fun dynamic to the story. Even the fairytale aspect to this story has a distinct spin to it. Remembering Majyck is a remarkably romantic and fearless story with equal parts romance, magic. and war.
I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2020
Amazing story, poor editing
The story is GREAT. It's so exciting and interesting, with lots of mystery and emotion and adventure. The writing itself is actually pretty good as well - not horribly insipid and with quite a good style. I'm just so irked by all the language errors D: some spelling errors are ok, but there are SO MANY basic errors REPEATED across the text : bear/bare, peak/peek, peel/peal, reins/reigns, lie/lay/laid...ugh! Please change your copy editor (or hire one if you don't have one!). Bare and bear are totally different words even though they sound the same, and any English writer should be able to tell the difference. I admit that lie/lay can be confusing, but any editor worth their salt should be able to pick it up. I almost gave this 3 stars, but the plot was just so interesting that I'm rounding up to 4 stars. I'm hoping she improves in future books...
The story is GREAT. It's so exciting and interesting, with lots of mystery and emotion and adventure. The writing itself is actually pretty good as well - not horribly insipid and with quite a good style. I'm just so irked by all the language errors D: some spelling errors are ok, but there are SO MANY basic errors REPEATED across the text : bear/bare, peak/peek, peel/peal, reins/reigns, lie/lay/laid...ugh! Please change your copy editor (or hire one if you don't have one!). Bare and bear are totally different words even though they sound the same, and any English writer should be able to tell the difference. I admit that lie/lay can be confusing, but any editor worth their salt should be able to pick it up. I almost gave this 3 stars, but the plot was just so interesting that I'm rounding up to 4 stars. I'm hoping she improves in future books...
June 20, 2020
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy of this book!
First of all can we talk about the covers? WOW, have you seen the new cover designs? absolutely gorgeous.
I had never read a fantasy book submerged in Russian folklore the way this one was and I loved it, it was so insightful! The world was inspired by Russian tales and the main character was strong lead. Of course I gravitated more towards the book once I found out it was inspired by supernatural! One of my favorite TV series.
The author does an excellent job building the world and developing the characters as the story unravels. There were many obstacles the MC went through that kept me on the edge of the seat. I love when a book keeps me guessing about the possible direction things are going to take and this did exactly that. The whole gist of the MC not having memories of her past and fighting this constant evil within her was just so intriguing to me. I am sure the MC will grow more in the second book although she was pretty badass in this one. The elemental magic was absolutely wonderful, I love stories that have this concept and Valia did an amazing job putting that together in this story. The only thing I found just a little bit difficult was some of the terminology, but as the story developed I got used to the terms and understood more about them. Last but not least....Holy Moly the plot twists! Some just completely blew my mind, like how did I not see this coming!
Overall I really enjoyed this story, I can't wait to see how this story ends. Definitely reading the rest of the books!
First of all can we talk about the covers? WOW, have you seen the new cover designs? absolutely gorgeous.
I had never read a fantasy book submerged in Russian folklore the way this one was and I loved it, it was so insightful! The world was inspired by Russian tales and the main character was strong lead. Of course I gravitated more towards the book once I found out it was inspired by supernatural! One of my favorite TV series.
The author does an excellent job building the world and developing the characters as the story unravels. There were many obstacles the MC went through that kept me on the edge of the seat. I love when a book keeps me guessing about the possible direction things are going to take and this did exactly that. The whole gist of the MC not having memories of her past and fighting this constant evil within her was just so intriguing to me. I am sure the MC will grow more in the second book although she was pretty badass in this one. The elemental magic was absolutely wonderful, I love stories that have this concept and Valia did an amazing job putting that together in this story. The only thing I found just a little bit difficult was some of the terminology, but as the story developed I got used to the terms and understood more about them. Last but not least....Holy Moly the plot twists! Some just completely blew my mind, like how did I not see this coming!
Overall I really enjoyed this story, I can't wait to see how this story ends. Definitely reading the rest of the books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2018
I am in absolute love with this story and its characters! It's a truly fresh twist on the traditional Russian fairy tales and it is so well written that you get automatically sucked into the story. Can't wait for more!
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August 20, 2020Did you know that my current series Blackwood Supernatural Prison is related to this series?
If you haven't read The Skazka Chronicles, here's a little novel aesthetic for you! Check it out! The complete trilogy is available now!
If you haven't read The Skazka Chronicles, here's a little novel aesthetic for you! Check it out! The complete trilogy is available now!
February 24, 2019
When I started reading this book, I forgot that I had already read it a few months ago. I remembered it was on my list of NetGalley books to review, so I started reading it late one night. I kept getting a since of man this book sounds just like another one I read, checked Goodreads, and yup I read this over the summer. I guess that kind of sums up what I thought about the book. Reading it was enjoyable (even though it had a bunch of info dumping), but it didn't make a lasting impression.
I enjoyed the Russian myths that were woven throughout the story. I love YA Fantasy, but this is a series I won't be finishing.
I was given a copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the Russian myths that were woven throughout the story. I love YA Fantasy, but this is a series I won't be finishing.
I was given a copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2017
This story is full of wonderful Russian lore, while mixed with the fantasy I love. Add handsome and tough Brendan, and we have here a wonderful story. Can't wait for Book #2!
January 12, 2018
I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op., in exchange for an honest review, so all the feelings and thoughts you're gonna read later on are entirely my own.
So, first things first... The fact that this cover combines so many of my favourite colours, along with the mystical vibes it radiates, as well as the fact that the story includes Eastern Europe's folk tales mixed up with everyday, normal, mundane settings, made me have really high expectations for this novel.
Alas! Once again it was proved that hope and great expectations bring eternal misery.
Though there were some really cure metaphors and allegories throughout the whole book, as well as three to four EPIC quotes, the rest of the plot seemed flat to me. Too much telling, rather than showing, plain, 2-D characters focusing on style over substance, some really cheesy dialogues and, above all, too much frustration because of the instant trust and sexual tension between the protagonist and the mysterious, dark and moody man that seems to be her love interest.
And I will elaborate a bit more on that... Since Calista is claiming throughout the whole novel that she doesn't remember Brendan, it was irritating the least the fact that she kept trusting him, simply because of a gut feeling. Repeating over and over again that you trust a person doesn't necessarily prove it to the reader. It's as if I kept telling you in every post that I'm a Kung Fu master, but never actually proved it to you. Saying isn't as strong as showing! It's as simple as that.
Another thing that turned this book from "wow" to "meh" to me was the repetition of the scenes. Not only it made the unfolding of the plot extremely slow-paced, and the novel in general quite boring, but it also kept me from gaining actual, helpful information that could and would give me some answers. And I'm not referring simply to the plot...
As the scenes kept repeating themselves, without anything useful to show, the characters kept repeating themselves as well. Personally, I think that all the reader get to know about them is that Calista acts like an infuriating, little brat, Brendan like the cliché, save-the-day, moody hero, and as for the rest of the characters in this novel... I've got no idea what they truly represent. I didn't get to actually know them because of this whole "I need to get some answers" thingie and, frankly, I couldn't care less of what's going to happen to them in the sequel. Sorry...
To me, it was Calista's memories and flashbacks that saved the day and kept me a bit interested in Remembering Majyk. At least in those memories, the reader is able to get fragments of glimpses of Calista's life and eventually get to know what Calista had forgotten, somewhere towards the end of the book.
Overall, Remembering Majyk misled me, because of it's fantastic blurb and beautiful cover.
I was expecting to read an eerie, Russian fairytale, with a strong female lead, action, passion and plot twists, an all I got was an average urban fantasy tale, similar to the dozens that have been published already.
2.5 stars for Remembering Majyk simply for the memories! Because...
"Memory is personal; it’s the pieces of my life that make up who I am, and someone took that away from me."
~Remembering Majyk, by Valia Lind.
So, first things first... The fact that this cover combines so many of my favourite colours, along with the mystical vibes it radiates, as well as the fact that the story includes Eastern Europe's folk tales mixed up with everyday, normal, mundane settings, made me have really high expectations for this novel.
Alas! Once again it was proved that hope and great expectations bring eternal misery.
Though there were some really cure metaphors and allegories throughout the whole book, as well as three to four EPIC quotes, the rest of the plot seemed flat to me. Too much telling, rather than showing, plain, 2-D characters focusing on style over substance, some really cheesy dialogues and, above all, too much frustration because of the instant trust and sexual tension between the protagonist and the mysterious, dark and moody man that seems to be her love interest.
And I will elaborate a bit more on that... Since Calista is claiming throughout the whole novel that she doesn't remember Brendan, it was irritating the least the fact that she kept trusting him, simply because of a gut feeling. Repeating over and over again that you trust a person doesn't necessarily prove it to the reader. It's as if I kept telling you in every post that I'm a Kung Fu master, but never actually proved it to you. Saying isn't as strong as showing! It's as simple as that.
Another thing that turned this book from "wow" to "meh" to me was the repetition of the scenes. Not only it made the unfolding of the plot extremely slow-paced, and the novel in general quite boring, but it also kept me from gaining actual, helpful information that could and would give me some answers. And I'm not referring simply to the plot...
As the scenes kept repeating themselves, without anything useful to show, the characters kept repeating themselves as well. Personally, I think that all the reader get to know about them is that Calista acts like an infuriating, little brat, Brendan like the cliché, save-the-day, moody hero, and as for the rest of the characters in this novel... I've got no idea what they truly represent. I didn't get to actually know them because of this whole "I need to get some answers" thingie and, frankly, I couldn't care less of what's going to happen to them in the sequel. Sorry...
To me, it was Calista's memories and flashbacks that saved the day and kept me a bit interested in Remembering Majyk. At least in those memories, the reader is able to get fragments of glimpses of Calista's life and eventually get to know what Calista had forgotten, somewhere towards the end of the book.
Overall, Remembering Majyk misled me, because of it's fantastic blurb and beautiful cover.
I was expecting to read an eerie, Russian fairytale, with a strong female lead, action, passion and plot twists, an all I got was an average urban fantasy tale, similar to the dozens that have been published already.
2.5 stars for Remembering Majyk simply for the memories! Because...
"Memory is personal; it’s the pieces of my life that make up who I am, and someone took that away from me."
~Remembering Majyk, by Valia Lind.
February 12, 2018
***This book was provided by NetGalley and Victory Editing in exchange for my honest review***
Please bear with me, it’s difficult to write a review for this book without giving anything away. Let me start out by saying, I should have known what I was getting myself into, “Remembering Majyk” should have been a dead giveaway that the entire book is the main character trying to remember her past memories as a Volshebnitsya (to put it simply a strong majykal being). It is Calista’s duty as both a Duchess and a Volshebnitsya to save the High Realm of Skazka from the Glava (the masters of Shadowlands). It’s the classic fantasy trope - the villains want to take control of the realm so they can have all the power.
That’s all fine and dandy, but the concept that Calista lost her memories due to traveling from her own realm to the human realm made no sense to me. The Glava and her allies (Brendan and Maxwell) had no trouble transporting from one realm to the next, so why exactly did Calista have such an issue? That problem kind of bugged me as a reader. I’ll admit I enjoyed the idea of the story-line in this novel, but it just seemed as if there were some holes in the plot that didn’t make sense to me.
I loved that the author didn’t dive right into Calista and Brendan’s romantic relationship right away. I really enjoy a good fantasy romance plot in a book, but I didn’t like that the author kind of went on and on with it until the end of the story. There was a lot of back and forth emotions between Calista and Brendan that it started to irritate me. You have to have some kind of give for the reader to hook onto or they just won’t enjoy the story as much.
I did like the idea that this book was somewhat original in its creatures that gave me the idea of frankenstein in a way. I also liked the twist at the end of the book regarding the relationship between Calista and Brendan - I just didn’t like the way the author wrote their interactions between the middle and end of the story.
The plot had me also confused as to the true nature of Calista or her personality before she lost memory of who she was. Obviously she remembers everything that happened before the memory loss, but it’s still up in the air as to whether she was double crossing the High Realm of Skazka or if she was working as some majykal secret double agent. I’m still unsure of how that worked. Or maybe it’s just me? Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated finally getting some memories and thoughts of who she was before with regard to her family and other relationships, though I feel that maybe there should have been a little more other information included. Although, the author may have done this intentionally due to the fact that there is a sequel for this series which I think will show more promising for the structure of the story because it didn’t completely agree with me in this first book.
I’m going to rate this book 3 out of 5 stars due to the writer’s ability to make me want to know what happens next in the story and so I can learn more about the characters. Otherwise, I probably would have rated at 2.5, but I’ll give the story the benefit of the doubt. Will I be putting the next novel on my TBR? It’s hard to say, it’s a possibility that I will if I come across the series again in Netgalley or in a bookstore.
Please bear with me, it’s difficult to write a review for this book without giving anything away. Let me start out by saying, I should have known what I was getting myself into, “Remembering Majyk” should have been a dead giveaway that the entire book is the main character trying to remember her past memories as a Volshebnitsya (to put it simply a strong majykal being). It is Calista’s duty as both a Duchess and a Volshebnitsya to save the High Realm of Skazka from the Glava (the masters of Shadowlands). It’s the classic fantasy trope - the villains want to take control of the realm so they can have all the power.
That’s all fine and dandy, but the concept that Calista lost her memories due to traveling from her own realm to the human realm made no sense to me. The Glava and her allies (Brendan and Maxwell) had no trouble transporting from one realm to the next, so why exactly did Calista have such an issue? That problem kind of bugged me as a reader. I’ll admit I enjoyed the idea of the story-line in this novel, but it just seemed as if there were some holes in the plot that didn’t make sense to me.
I loved that the author didn’t dive right into Calista and Brendan’s romantic relationship right away. I really enjoy a good fantasy romance plot in a book, but I didn’t like that the author kind of went on and on with it until the end of the story. There was a lot of back and forth emotions between Calista and Brendan that it started to irritate me. You have to have some kind of give for the reader to hook onto or they just won’t enjoy the story as much.
I did like the idea that this book was somewhat original in its creatures that gave me the idea of frankenstein in a way. I also liked the twist at the end of the book regarding the relationship between Calista and Brendan - I just didn’t like the way the author wrote their interactions between the middle and end of the story.
The plot had me also confused as to the true nature of Calista or her personality before she lost memory of who she was. Obviously she remembers everything that happened before the memory loss, but it’s still up in the air as to whether she was double crossing the High Realm of Skazka or if she was working as some majykal secret double agent. I’m still unsure of how that worked. Or maybe it’s just me? Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated finally getting some memories and thoughts of who she was before with regard to her family and other relationships, though I feel that maybe there should have been a little more other information included. Although, the author may have done this intentionally due to the fact that there is a sequel for this series which I think will show more promising for the structure of the story because it didn’t completely agree with me in this first book.
I’m going to rate this book 3 out of 5 stars due to the writer’s ability to make me want to know what happens next in the story and so I can learn more about the characters. Otherwise, I probably would have rated at 2.5, but I’ll give the story the benefit of the doubt. Will I be putting the next novel on my TBR? It’s hard to say, it’s a possibility that I will if I come across the series again in Netgalley or in a bookstore.
January 17, 2022
Calista is a standard college freshman, or so she thought. When attacked by a few nasty looking monsters and saved by the attractive guy that has been consistently around, she soon learns she is anything but standard.
Tossed into a world of magic, mystery, and mayhem, Calista learns she is a very powerful fae. Stricken by the loss of her memories, she fights to not only remember her true self, but to save the world from the threat of complete darkness. Will she be able to unlock her actual past before it is too late?
Remebering Majyk is Valia Lind’s initial introduction to the Skazka realm. A story overflowing with mystique, discovery, honor, and love, Valia immerses readers in a world filled with beauty and wonder.
A demonstration of Valia’s dedication to her trade, an insignificant amount of spelling and grammatical errors was found. Plus, to ensure her tale is available to all ages, profanity and sexual content are excluded. Hence, a rating of 5 out of 5 stars is awarded.
Since the story does include a war, some of the following may cause one distress: physical attack, alcohol use, stalker, murder, knife and sword violence, mutilated and bloody bodies, memory loss, earthquake, kidnapping, thievery, stereotypes, boating accident, tornado, war, seizure, decapitation, panic attacks, betrayal, deceit, manipulation, double-crossed, and prison.
A grand quest mixed with a bit of Russian folklore, Remebering Majyk is a novel designed for the fantasy enthusiast in us all.
Thank you to #RememberingMajyk, #TheSkazkaChronicles, and #ValiaLind, for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest review.
Original Post found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/...
Tossed into a world of magic, mystery, and mayhem, Calista learns she is a very powerful fae. Stricken by the loss of her memories, she fights to not only remember her true self, but to save the world from the threat of complete darkness. Will she be able to unlock her actual past before it is too late?
Remebering Majyk is Valia Lind’s initial introduction to the Skazka realm. A story overflowing with mystique, discovery, honor, and love, Valia immerses readers in a world filled with beauty and wonder.
A demonstration of Valia’s dedication to her trade, an insignificant amount of spelling and grammatical errors was found. Plus, to ensure her tale is available to all ages, profanity and sexual content are excluded. Hence, a rating of 5 out of 5 stars is awarded.
Since the story does include a war, some of the following may cause one distress: physical attack, alcohol use, stalker, murder, knife and sword violence, mutilated and bloody bodies, memory loss, earthquake, kidnapping, thievery, stereotypes, boating accident, tornado, war, seizure, decapitation, panic attacks, betrayal, deceit, manipulation, double-crossed, and prison.
A grand quest mixed with a bit of Russian folklore, Remebering Majyk is a novel designed for the fantasy enthusiast in us all.
Thank you to #RememberingMajyk, #TheSkazkaChronicles, and #ValiaLind, for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest review.
Original Post found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/...
February 14, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Remembering Majyk" presents a interesting mix of Russian folklore and magic, but ultimately failed to deliver a powerful punch. The writing style is poor- overly descriptive of minor movements characters make, using predictable dialogue, and consistently bland sentence structure. The pacing is also uneven, with dramatic moments and quieter moments occurring at strange intervals.
40% into the book isn't that much different than 15% into the book: still very few answers, only hints at what's really going on, and a lot of flirty back-and-forth.
This is minor, but it also does the cheap have-character-look-into-a-mirror-to-describe-herself-in-great-detail.. Then it goes another step further into predictability and describes "the only possibly interesting things" about Cal being her eyes- which happen to change colors a lot. This is so overdone in books, especially YA titles, and it was a bad sign of where this book was going for me. I just felt like Cal was underdeveloped at best and fell into too many character tropes at worst. The romance was also dull- the relationship and the love interest. I didn't feel any spark between the characters!
If the writing was strengthened (and made less cheesy) and the characters were more fleshed out, this would be a much better book! The plot is there and pretty engaging, but it was difficult to be interested in the plot when everything else felt like sub par fan-fiction.
"Remembering Majyk" presents a interesting mix of Russian folklore and magic, but ultimately failed to deliver a powerful punch. The writing style is poor- overly descriptive of minor movements characters make, using predictable dialogue, and consistently bland sentence structure. The pacing is also uneven, with dramatic moments and quieter moments occurring at strange intervals.
40% into the book isn't that much different than 15% into the book: still very few answers, only hints at what's really going on, and a lot of flirty back-and-forth.
This is minor, but it also does the cheap have-character-look-into-a-mirror-to-describe-herself-in-great-detail.. Then it goes another step further into predictability and describes "the only possibly interesting things" about Cal being her eyes- which happen to change colors a lot. This is so overdone in books, especially YA titles, and it was a bad sign of where this book was going for me. I just felt like Cal was underdeveloped at best and fell into too many character tropes at worst. The romance was also dull- the relationship and the love interest. I didn't feel any spark between the characters!
If the writing was strengthened (and made less cheesy) and the characters were more fleshed out, this would be a much better book! The plot is there and pretty engaging, but it was difficult to be interested in the plot when everything else felt like sub par fan-fiction.
January 3, 2018
3.5/5
I enjoyed this book, the story was definitely interesting however, there were a lot of things that were unclear and not explained. Which is probably due to Calista not being able to remember everything so we didn't get to understand everything. I am looking forward to seeing the world of Skazka in the upcoming books because we really haven't seen much besides some meadows and balls.
Being able to see the flashbacks that Calista saw when she was remembering who she was was interesting although like I mentioned above you weren't able to understand everything because the MC didn't understand. That was kind of annoying.
I am really not a huge fan of the whole forbidden romance trope so I HOPE a certain someone dies in the second book so we can see some actual romance happen.
Calista is infuriating, shes a snotty brat and has that I'm better than you attitude. She seems to be always yelling at Brendan and Maxwell for not telling her everything when she isn't even telling them half of what she has remembered. A bit hypocritical.
I will be continuing on with the series because I find the plot pretty cool but I hope the main character improves.
I was sent a copy fro review via Netgalley
I enjoyed this book, the story was definitely interesting however, there were a lot of things that were unclear and not explained. Which is probably due to Calista not being able to remember everything so we didn't get to understand everything. I am looking forward to seeing the world of Skazka in the upcoming books because we really haven't seen much besides some meadows and balls.
Being able to see the flashbacks that Calista saw when she was remembering who she was was interesting although like I mentioned above you weren't able to understand everything because the MC didn't understand. That was kind of annoying.
I am really not a huge fan of the whole forbidden romance trope so I HOPE a certain someone dies in the second book so we can see some actual romance happen.
Calista is infuriating, shes a snotty brat and has that I'm better than you attitude. She seems to be always yelling at Brendan and Maxwell for not telling her everything when she isn't even telling them half of what she has remembered. A bit hypocritical.
I will be continuing on with the series because I find the plot pretty cool but I hope the main character improves.
I was sent a copy fro review via Netgalley
January 5, 2018
This book was a gift from Net Galley and Author Valia Lind in return for an honest opinion. You can find this title on Release date 01-18-18.
The book seems to have a slow start, but just as I thought so, it picked up. I quickly became enthralled in the characters and their world Skazka.
Calista was a normal girl, now in college. Having survived her freshman year, she decide to heed her friend and go to a party. Her life changed forever at that party. All the sudden she is thrown between worlds and memories she doesnt recognize. Can Brendan pull her out in time? Can they find the relic she's now forgotten? At times you can feel the tension and the romance between her and Brendan.
The writing was awesome, it was an arc, however it didn't really take away from the story or my reading. I loved the short Russian folklore that was added as well, a nice readers bonus!
It was such a rush, and I want to hear more about her, Brendan, and the world they belong to!! You have to read this when it comes out, January 18, 2018!! This book will for sure become a favorite. Plus, don't forget to watch out for Book 2 in the series!! Your not gonna want to miss out on it!!
The book seems to have a slow start, but just as I thought so, it picked up. I quickly became enthralled in the characters and their world Skazka.
Calista was a normal girl, now in college. Having survived her freshman year, she decide to heed her friend and go to a party. Her life changed forever at that party. All the sudden she is thrown between worlds and memories she doesnt recognize. Can Brendan pull her out in time? Can they find the relic she's now forgotten? At times you can feel the tension and the romance between her and Brendan.
The writing was awesome, it was an arc, however it didn't really take away from the story or my reading. I loved the short Russian folklore that was added as well, a nice readers bonus!
It was such a rush, and I want to hear more about her, Brendan, and the world they belong to!! You have to read this when it comes out, January 18, 2018!! This book will for sure become a favorite. Plus, don't forget to watch out for Book 2 in the series!! Your not gonna want to miss out on it!!
January 1, 2018
I received this ARC e-book from Net Galley.
I enjoyed the unique twist on the usual magic storyline and enjoyed the author’s use of flashbacks to provide information to the reader. I like how the author used Calista’s memory loss as a way of explaining parts of the high fantasy world, we weren’t expected to know everything all at once because we were learning about it as the character was getting her memory back. I think the relationship built between Calista and Brendan built up really well and could have been a little better but was overall pretty good. In the middle of the book, it started to get a little repetitive. I though the role of Jemma, Calista’s college roommate was a little unnecessary except as a way to move the plot along in some parts. I also didn’t like how hard all the majyk words were to pronounce.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel and thought the author did a pretty good job displaying how someone might act if placed into that situation. I’m looking forward to reading the second novel and seeing what comes next.
I enjoyed the unique twist on the usual magic storyline and enjoyed the author’s use of flashbacks to provide information to the reader. I like how the author used Calista’s memory loss as a way of explaining parts of the high fantasy world, we weren’t expected to know everything all at once because we were learning about it as the character was getting her memory back. I think the relationship built between Calista and Brendan built up really well and could have been a little better but was overall pretty good. In the middle of the book, it started to get a little repetitive. I though the role of Jemma, Calista’s college roommate was a little unnecessary except as a way to move the plot along in some parts. I also didn’t like how hard all the majyk words were to pronounce.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel and thought the author did a pretty good job displaying how someone might act if placed into that situation. I’m looking forward to reading the second novel and seeing what comes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2018
Where’s the rest?
That’s what I said when I finished this book because it ends on a perfect cliffhanger!!
I really wasn’t sure about this book when I started it. It is in first person and normally that is a big turn off for me. But I found myself forgetting that it was as I read. The story is woven quite well with a decent balance of action and plot, though honestly I wish there was a bit more talking during the down time. But it doesn’t take away from the story.
Don’t be put off by the prologue it isn’t really one. I know sometimes prologues can scare people off but trust me, it’s really more just the first chapter. What are labels anyway?
I enjoy the relationship between the two leads. Secondary characters could do with some fleshing out but again this is all minor.
The fantasy is simultaneously something seen before and something new. It’s a bit refreshing, if not a bit hard to pronounce, having the lore rooted in Russian folklore and fairytales.
Definitely check it out if you like action and mystery in your fantasy.
That’s what I said when I finished this book because it ends on a perfect cliffhanger!!
I really wasn’t sure about this book when I started it. It is in first person and normally that is a big turn off for me. But I found myself forgetting that it was as I read. The story is woven quite well with a decent balance of action and plot, though honestly I wish there was a bit more talking during the down time. But it doesn’t take away from the story.
Don’t be put off by the prologue it isn’t really one. I know sometimes prologues can scare people off but trust me, it’s really more just the first chapter. What are labels anyway?
I enjoy the relationship between the two leads. Secondary characters could do with some fleshing out but again this is all minor.
The fantasy is simultaneously something seen before and something new. It’s a bit refreshing, if not a bit hard to pronounce, having the lore rooted in Russian folklore and fairytales.
Definitely check it out if you like action and mystery in your fantasy.
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