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The Starchaser Saga #1
Darkwind
The Middle Kingdom of Talheim has enjoyed peace for decades. But with the threat of war rising from the ruthless South, the dream of a quiet life is fading. And for the noble but naïve Princess Cistine, that means embarking on a dangerous quest to the Northern Kingdom, where she hopes to forge an alliance against their southern foes and save her people.
But when Cistine is captured by an outlaw and his band of cutthroat warriors, she finds a more deadly adventure than she bargained for - and a greater power within herself than she ever knew.
Swept up in the unpredictable tide of a tenuous and shadowy political climate, a ruthless land governed by the stars, and the unexpected revelations that come from her mysterious new companions, Cistine must learn how to fight, how to lead...and above all, how to trust herself.
If the young princess can't be forged into a fighter, then her kingdom will fall.
But when Cistine is captured by an outlaw and his band of cutthroat warriors, she finds a more deadly adventure than she bargained for - and a greater power within herself than she ever knew.
Swept up in the unpredictable tide of a tenuous and shadowy political climate, a ruthless land governed by the stars, and the unexpected revelations that come from her mysterious new companions, Cistine must learn how to fight, how to lead...and above all, how to trust herself.
If the young princess can't be forged into a fighter, then her kingdom will fall.
442 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2019
140 people are currently reading
3959 people want to read
About the author
Renee Dugan
16 books177 followersRenee Dugan is an Indiana-based fantasy author who grew up reading fantasy books, chasing stray cats, and writing stories full of dashing heroes and evil masterminds.
Now with over a decade of professional editing, administrative work, and writing every spare second under her belt, she has authored THE CHAOS CIRCUS, a portal fantasy novel, and THE STARCHASER SAGA, an epic high fantasy series.
Living with her husband, son, and not-so-stray cats in the magical Midwest, she continues to explore new worlds and spends her time in this one encouraging and helping other writers on their journey to fulfilling their dreams.
Now with over a decade of professional editing, administrative work, and writing every spare second under her belt, she has authored THE CHAOS CIRCUS, a portal fantasy novel, and THE STARCHASER SAGA, an epic high fantasy series.
Living with her husband, son, and not-so-stray cats in the magical Midwest, she continues to explore new worlds and spends her time in this one encouraging and helping other writers on their journey to fulfilling their dreams.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
July 27, 2020
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain how utterly surprised I was by how much I enjoyed reading these books.
I was going through a fantasy/PNR reading binge since the end of last month…not all were worth recommending but some, like these books, are so worth the time well spent.
I do remember having a total fan girl moment and telling the author Renee Dugan that I wanted to devour the story yet at the same time, show some constraint and savour the books.
Talk about action and adventure! I fell head over heels in love with the characters! I don’t think I can pick just one…they are THAT GOOD! The secondary characters ….tsk tsk… calling them “secondary characters” feels almost sacrilegious. Anyway, as I was saying, the inner circle were AMAZING! If you’ve read any of Sarah J.Maas’s series and LOVED the camaraderie between the core groups, you will LOVE these books so much.
I love when authors are able to bring out a riot of emotions through their books. I read these books with rapt attention….what a tidal wave of conflicting emotions that really shouldn’t be normal but I know that you would understand when I am trying to say.
Darkwind and Dawnstar has hands down one of the best character developments I have read this year, so far. It’s so well written and I seriously can’t get enough of it.
I have recommended these books to so many of my friends and they haven’t been disappointed ..so Go Grab Your Copy! if you don’t, you’re missing out!
I was going through a fantasy/PNR reading binge since the end of last month…not all were worth recommending but some, like these books, are so worth the time well spent.
I do remember having a total fan girl moment and telling the author Renee Dugan that I wanted to devour the story yet at the same time, show some constraint and savour the books.
Talk about action and adventure! I fell head over heels in love with the characters! I don’t think I can pick just one…they are THAT GOOD! The secondary characters ….tsk tsk… calling them “secondary characters” feels almost sacrilegious. Anyway, as I was saying, the inner circle were AMAZING! If you’ve read any of Sarah J.Maas’s series and LOVED the camaraderie between the core groups, you will LOVE these books so much.
I love when authors are able to bring out a riot of emotions through their books. I read these books with rapt attention….what a tidal wave of conflicting emotions that really shouldn’t be normal but I know that you would understand when I am trying to say.
Darkwind and Dawnstar has hands down one of the best character developments I have read this year, so far. It’s so well written and I seriously can’t get enough of it.
I have recommended these books to so many of my friends and they haven’t been disappointed ..so Go Grab Your Copy! if you don’t, you’re missing out!
July 31, 2020
Oh em geeeee. I was up until 3am reading this. On a WORK NIGHT. It's that good. Did I immediately one-click the sequel? Yes! Did I *almost* stay up ALL night to read it? Yes!!!
This book grabbed me from the first sentence. The poetic prose will transport you instantly to these wild lands. The characters have depth and show real growth. The magic is terrifying and beautiful. The undercurrent of fate pulls like the sea. The t e n s i o n between Cistine and Thorne is SO delicious.
There are flavors of Feysand in here, and one of my favorite books, Mortal Heart, by Robin LaFevers. It's no wonder I loved it. There's nothing not to love here. And on to the sequel!
This book grabbed me from the first sentence. The poetic prose will transport you instantly to these wild lands. The characters have depth and show real growth. The magic is terrifying and beautiful. The undercurrent of fate pulls like the sea. The t e n s i o n between Cistine and Thorne is SO delicious.
There are flavors of Feysand in here, and one of my favorite books, Mortal Heart, by Robin LaFevers. It's no wonder I loved it. There's nothing not to love here. And on to the sequel!
December 16, 2019
This is the epic fantasy I have been waiting for!! The characters were diverse and complex. The world was lush and realistic. The conflict was thick and believable. The prose was absolutely beautiful!
I loved Princess Cistine and her determination. I loved watching her growth throughout this book. It was fun to see her struggle and work so hard to do what she thought was right.
My favorite character was definitely Ashe!!! I loved the banter between Ashe and Cistine (especially at the beginning). This book totally made me think I need a slightly older, female body guard following me around all the time. I loved Ashe so much. The little hint of romance between her and a certain other character was probably my very favorite thing about this book!
I'm really excited about the next book. Hopefully I don't have to wait to long for it! :)
I loved Princess Cistine and her determination. I loved watching her growth throughout this book. It was fun to see her struggle and work so hard to do what she thought was right.
My favorite character was definitely Ashe!!! I loved the banter between Ashe and Cistine (especially at the beginning). This book totally made me think I need a slightly older, female body guard following me around all the time. I loved Ashe so much. The little hint of romance between her and a certain other character was probably my very favorite thing about this book!
I'm really excited about the next book. Hopefully I don't have to wait to long for it! :)
July 3, 2022
Have I found my next fantasy series obsession? I cannot stop thinking about this story, these characters, and this world.
Cistine is a heroine you will root for. She begins the story as a naive and sheltered princess, but she desires to do what it takes and learn what she must to become the leader her people need and the strongest version of herself. The writing truly shines in bringing the characters to life. The cabal is my favorite kind of found family, and THORNE! I need more Thorne in my life.
The pace is a bit slow at times, but that allows readers to settle into the story and room for so much character growth and development. The action sequences were exciting, the twists were well executed, the magic system is intriguing, the world and backstory are fleshed out, and I can’t wait for more in the next book!
Blog | Instagram
Cistine is a heroine you will root for. She begins the story as a naive and sheltered princess, but she desires to do what it takes and learn what she must to become the leader her people need and the strongest version of herself. The writing truly shines in bringing the characters to life. The cabal is my favorite kind of found family, and THORNE! I need more Thorne in my life.
The pace is a bit slow at times, but that allows readers to settle into the story and room for so much character growth and development. The action sequences were exciting, the twists were well executed, the magic system is intriguing, the world and backstory are fleshed out, and I can’t wait for more in the next book!
Blog | Instagram
June 25, 2023
Upon rereading, I've seen sense and upped my rating to 5/5, which is the very least this book deserves.
The pacing, the world building, the CHARACTERS. Reading this book just warms my heart. It's incredible how real this cast feels, and how much you're made to care about each one in just one novel.
Yes, Cistine's decisions are still annoying, but I weirdly really loved that this time through. It was realistic. A 20 year old sheltered princess leaves her home to bargain for a peace treaty with no prior knowledge of the country she's entreating? Of course she's going to have trouble with that.
And yes, Julian is still my least favourite, but in a somewhat loveable way, and again, realistic. The girl he's known for the best part of a decade suddenly seems to be interested in training and politics instead of books and dresses? Of course that's going to shock and confuse him.
There's just not enough words to say about this book that can capture my love for it.
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4.5 - I only drop the half a star because that ending INFURIATED ME.
Aside from that, I think I'm a little obsessed. I LOVED this book, and I can't believe there's not more being said about it.
It's a commitment knowing how lengthy to series is, but if there rest are like this one, I'm happy to settle in for the long haul.
The pace was perfect. There were times in the book where maybe the story wasn't moving forward, but those slower sections served to flesh out the characters and the world around them, so I appreciated them as much as the action packed chapters.
These characters, oh my days they are fantastic, I love them all. There's obviously hints of romance but I can tell it's going to be a slooooow burn across the series rather than an angsty and baseless relationship.
Every single character had a personality, a backstory, and flaws. I think Maleck was my favourite, but Quill and Tatiana's dynamic was hilarious, I loved the strength of the female characters, and of course we can't forget Thorne, our white haired leader.
I loved Cistine's arc, joining the group as a pretty useless princess but being formed into, not a warrior yet, but someone with grit. I loved that her training wasn't just: 'hit this' or, 'heres a sword'. She had to learn to serve others and to work as part of the team. She did really annoy me at the end of the book, she was way too impulsive, but she's only 20, and she's been very sheltered her whole life so I understand it.
I don't like Julian, I think he's controlling and boring, but that's probably just because I feel like he definitely isn't the person that Cistine will end up with.
Oh I also LOVED the reference to the book's title. The whole way through I was like 'what does darkwind have to do with anything?' Well now I know and it's super cool.
So yeah that's that, everyone should read this book, and I reaaalllly hope book 2 is just as great.
The pacing, the world building, the CHARACTERS. Reading this book just warms my heart. It's incredible how real this cast feels, and how much you're made to care about each one in just one novel.
Yes, Cistine's decisions are still annoying, but I weirdly really loved that this time through. It was realistic. A 20 year old sheltered princess leaves her home to bargain for a peace treaty with no prior knowledge of the country she's entreating? Of course she's going to have trouble with that.
And yes, Julian is still my least favourite, but in a somewhat loveable way, and again, realistic. The girl he's known for the best part of a decade suddenly seems to be interested in training and politics instead of books and dresses? Of course that's going to shock and confuse him.
There's just not enough words to say about this book that can capture my love for it.
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4.5 - I only drop the half a star because that ending INFURIATED ME.
Aside from that, I think I'm a little obsessed. I LOVED this book, and I can't believe there's not more being said about it.
It's a commitment knowing how lengthy to series is, but if there rest are like this one, I'm happy to settle in for the long haul.
The pace was perfect. There were times in the book where maybe the story wasn't moving forward, but those slower sections served to flesh out the characters and the world around them, so I appreciated them as much as the action packed chapters.
These characters, oh my days they are fantastic, I love them all. There's obviously hints of romance but I can tell it's going to be a slooooow burn across the series rather than an angsty and baseless relationship.
Every single character had a personality, a backstory, and flaws. I think Maleck was my favourite, but Quill and Tatiana's dynamic was hilarious, I loved the strength of the female characters, and of course we can't forget Thorne, our white haired leader.
I loved Cistine's arc, joining the group as a pretty useless princess but being formed into, not a warrior yet, but someone with grit. I loved that her training wasn't just: 'hit this' or, 'heres a sword'. She had to learn to serve others and to work as part of the team. She did really annoy me at the end of the book, she was way too impulsive, but she's only 20, and she's been very sheltered her whole life so I understand it.
I don't like Julian, I think he's controlling and boring, but that's probably just because I feel like he definitely isn't the person that Cistine will end up with.
Oh I also LOVED the reference to the book's title. The whole way through I was like 'what does darkwind have to do with anything?' Well now I know and it's super cool.
So yeah that's that, everyone should read this book, and I reaaalllly hope book 2 is just as great.
February 22, 2024
You'll love this series if you enjoy:
✨Long, completed fantasy series (7 books)
✨Sloooooow burn romance
✨Strong found family trope
✨Fantastic character development
✨Interesting world building
✨MC with grit, independence, and developing strength
I'm seriously addicted to this series. The writing quality is great, and the pacing is right where it needs to be for a long fantasy series. I really enjoy the romance and can’t wait to see where it’s headed (team Thorne) 👏🏻
The author is also so responsive on Instagram and I love how much she responds to DMs and tags! She also has signed copies available on her website (mine came with a cute quote and signature, I love it!) Highly recommend this series to fantasy lovers!
✨Long, completed fantasy series (7 books)
✨Sloooooow burn romance
✨Strong found family trope
✨Fantastic character development
✨Interesting world building
✨MC with grit, independence, and developing strength
I'm seriously addicted to this series. The writing quality is great, and the pacing is right where it needs to be for a long fantasy series. I really enjoy the romance and can’t wait to see where it’s headed (team Thorne) 👏🏻
The author is also so responsive on Instagram and I love how much she responds to DMs and tags! She also has signed copies available on her website (mine came with a cute quote and signature, I love it!) Highly recommend this series to fantasy lovers!
March 29, 2021
Great cast and excellent world building
This was a fantastic adventure story with a lot of colorful, engaging characters, and a very interesting world. I especially liked the unique political structure of the Northern Kingdom. Quill was probably my favorite character, capturing my interest immediately when he was introduced. The story did drag a little bit in some parts, but they often picked up just as I was getting a bit bored. I'm excited to see how Cistine and Thorne handle the next installment.
This was a fantastic adventure story with a lot of colorful, engaging characters, and a very interesting world. I especially liked the unique political structure of the Northern Kingdom. Quill was probably my favorite character, capturing my interest immediately when he was introduced. The story did drag a little bit in some parts, but they often picked up just as I was getting a bit bored. I'm excited to see how Cistine and Thorne handle the next installment.
December 27, 2020
I wanted to love this book and I just... didn’t.
It felt very cookie cutter, and didn’t have enough grit for me. The main character is 20 but has a young enough voice to make this feel like YA.
I could only read a few pages at a time. The amount of exposition included made it hard to continue to read, because I just wanted things to happen. I couldn’t relate to the main character or anything that was happening really, because none of it felt even close to the realm of reality (I know that’s ironic because it is indeed ‘fantasy’.).
The story has potential, but it felt too long and dragged out, and everything was predictable. I enjoy books that challenge me and spring things on me that take my breath away. This book didn’t do that.
It is well written, I just think it needed a bit more grit to really make it enthralling and challenging for the adult reader.
It felt very cookie cutter, and didn’t have enough grit for me. The main character is 20 but has a young enough voice to make this feel like YA.
I could only read a few pages at a time. The amount of exposition included made it hard to continue to read, because I just wanted things to happen. I couldn’t relate to the main character or anything that was happening really, because none of it felt even close to the realm of reality (I know that’s ironic because it is indeed ‘fantasy’.).
The story has potential, but it felt too long and dragged out, and everything was predictable. I enjoy books that challenge me and spring things on me that take my breath away. This book didn’t do that.
It is well written, I just think it needed a bit more grit to really make it enthralling and challenging for the adult reader.
January 16, 2023
This book was...how do I put this?...well this book was phenomenal beyond words! I can't begin to describe all the things I loved about this book. To start, I loved Cistine's character development; she went from a spoiled brat princess to a badass warrior. I love her! I also loved how Cistine and Julian's relationship isn't perfect like in most fantasy ya novels (they get into a pretty big argument). And don't get me started on how every single person in the Cabel is wonderfully developed and not just side characters that help move the plot along.
I absolutely love how the book was written and I think this is some of the best world building I have ever read. Renee Dugan did an incredible job with this story and the characters, and I can't wait to read what she does next!
I absolutely love how the book was written and I think this is some of the best world building I have ever read. Renee Dugan did an incredible job with this story and the characters, and I can't wait to read what she does next!
March 19, 2024
2024 Reread: Even better the second time! Love being back in this world again. Definitely one of my favorite fantasy series ever. ❤️
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.
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Ohhhhh I can tell this may just be added to one of my favorite series! It’s a slow start, but it is also necessary to lay down all the ground work.
Cistine is naive and impulsive in the beginning, but throughout the book, there is so much character growth. She figures out what she truly wants and I can’t wait to see her continue to grow.
I LOVE found family tropes and this one knocked it out of the park. I love Thorne and his cabal. So many great moments!!
.
.
.
Ohhhhh I can tell this may just be added to one of my favorite series! It’s a slow start, but it is also necessary to lay down all the ground work.
Cistine is naive and impulsive in the beginning, but throughout the book, there is so much character growth. She figures out what she truly wants and I can’t wait to see her continue to grow.
I LOVE found family tropes and this one knocked it out of the park. I love Thorne and his cabal. So many great moments!!
February 19, 2021
With all honesty, I struggled getting into this book. I couldn't even put my finger on why because I'm the biggest fan of Renee Dugan's writing. (The Chaos Circus was amazing!) I chalked it down to high fantasy not being my top preferred genre, and so I persevered with it. And I'm so very glad that I did! Past the 40% mark, I was captivated by the cabal and had to keep going. The worldbuilding was beautiful, characters felt real and grew and changed through the book, and the ending had me TENSE. What a ride. I'm looking forward to continuing the series and jumping into book two ASAP!
August 17, 2021
Wow, I'm glad that's over.
Unfortunately, I can't say I enjoyed this much, yet I did read all 400+ pages of it. I guess all of the high reviews made me think that it would get better and by the time I really was going to DNF, I was at around 80% and figured I might as well keep going.
It's not that the book was badly written. I'm sure many people will enjoy it. But it did my head in.
I have little to no tolerance of tropey YA books, particularly fantasy ones. In fact, I avoid YA like the plague, often because of their tropey nature, and vapid, irritating heroines. While I'm not sure this is officially classed as YA, it completely had that vibe for me.
I couldn't stand Cistine. I know part of the point was that we weren't supposed to admire her, as she was going to this amazing character arc of realising what a valid little twit she really is, but by the end of the book I still felt she was a vapid little twit, who should have just stayed at home.
I also loathe love triangles with the passion of a thousand suns. They are lazy story telling devices as I flat out refuse to read books with them in. Sadly, this book was also cursed with a tropey banger of one. We have Julian, the childhood friend and son of her Dad, the King's best friend, who's she's always had dreamy eyes for, and then you have Thorne, the leader of the cabal and guy who captures her. Julian was as lame as Cistine, and would happily sit by and let her just be some cosseted and protected little princess in a castle, and Thorne had his moments, but there was little chemistry there. The best bit of the book was about 5% where they were stranded together. It's totally obvious where the love triangle is going and I hated every moment of it.
Ashe and Malack and their brief page time was the best bit of the book. It should have just been about them, really.
So, in summary, based on my personal enjoyment I'd give this two stars. But I went to three as the book isn't bad, it just contained too many things I personally can't stand.
Unfortunately, I can't say I enjoyed this much, yet I did read all 400+ pages of it. I guess all of the high reviews made me think that it would get better and by the time I really was going to DNF, I was at around 80% and figured I might as well keep going.
It's not that the book was badly written. I'm sure many people will enjoy it. But it did my head in.
I have little to no tolerance of tropey YA books, particularly fantasy ones. In fact, I avoid YA like the plague, often because of their tropey nature, and vapid, irritating heroines. While I'm not sure this is officially classed as YA, it completely had that vibe for me.
I couldn't stand Cistine. I know part of the point was that we weren't supposed to admire her, as she was going to this amazing character arc of realising what a valid little twit she really is, but by the end of the book I still felt she was a vapid little twit, who should have just stayed at home.
I also loathe love triangles with the passion of a thousand suns. They are lazy story telling devices as I flat out refuse to read books with them in. Sadly, this book was also cursed with a tropey banger of one. We have Julian, the childhood friend and son of her Dad, the King's best friend, who's she's always had dreamy eyes for, and then you have Thorne, the leader of the cabal and guy who captures her. Julian was as lame as Cistine, and would happily sit by and let her just be some cosseted and protected little princess in a castle, and Thorne had his moments, but there was little chemistry there. The best bit of the book was about 5% where they were stranded together. It's totally obvious where the love triangle is going and I hated every moment of it.
Ashe and Malack and their brief page time was the best bit of the book. It should have just been about them, really.
So, in summary, based on my personal enjoyment I'd give this two stars. But I went to three as the book isn't bad, it just contained too many things I personally can't stand.
June 29, 2022
2/5, DNF at 27%.
This book has some of the same struggles that The Folk of the Air series has: it's immature and I just can't relate to the main female character.
Immediately I can see how immature this book is written when a whole main plot point is a spoiled princess going off on her own to a foreign country to establish an alliance, even after knowing that 1. She's completely out of her depth going to a country she knows nothing about and 2. Still goes even after listening to her father's council expound on all of the reasons why sending for help from this country is not in the best interest of the kingdom.
The dialogue between characters is cliche and just hard to stomach reading. "Because I'm a princess and that's what royalty does." BARF.
Cistine is just absolutely clueless and ridiculously naive. I am totally open to redemption arcs, and supposedly (from reading other reviews) she does mature, but I literally can't finish reading long enough to find out.
The plot just isn't thought out enough for me. I need the events that occur to have a sense of maturity and realism to them, and the things that happen in this book are rushed, don't make sense, and I don't understand the motivation behind much of what occurs. The plot HAS TO MAKE SENSE. The timeline needs to be logical, and I as a reader need to be able to identify with the characters and understand the motivations behind their actions. I don't get that from this book. Maybe it is a good book and I'm just not giving it time, but I just can't.
This book has some of the same struggles that The Folk of the Air series has: it's immature and I just can't relate to the main female character.
Immediately I can see how immature this book is written when a whole main plot point is a spoiled princess going off on her own to a foreign country to establish an alliance, even after knowing that 1. She's completely out of her depth going to a country she knows nothing about and 2. Still goes even after listening to her father's council expound on all of the reasons why sending for help from this country is not in the best interest of the kingdom.
The dialogue between characters is cliche and just hard to stomach reading. "Because I'm a princess and that's what royalty does." BARF.
Cistine is just absolutely clueless and ridiculously naive. I am totally open to redemption arcs, and supposedly (from reading other reviews) she does mature, but I literally can't finish reading long enough to find out.
The plot just isn't thought out enough for me. I need the events that occur to have a sense of maturity and realism to them, and the things that happen in this book are rushed, don't make sense, and I don't understand the motivation behind much of what occurs. The plot HAS TO MAKE SENSE. The timeline needs to be logical, and I as a reader need to be able to identify with the characters and understand the motivations behind their actions. I don't get that from this book. Maybe it is a good book and I'm just not giving it time, but I just can't.
December 15, 2022
HI, THIS IS MY NEW PERSONALITY.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Y’all. New fantasy obsession alert. I LOVED this!! Another Kindle Unlimited gem that has its hooks in me.
This is a slow build. And at times you do feel that slowness, but it has a necessity. I hate when things are slow and aren’t truly moving. In this case, we got to see some major character growth from Cistine and I looooved that. I enjoy seeing the development of skills rather than overnight they are fantastic at everything.
The plot is satisfying too. The world building is easy to follow and I like how the magic system is involved. I also absolutely loved that this had FOUND FAMILY. One of my favorite non-romantic tropes. This group grew on me and I am hopeful that we get to see there stories as the series progresses.
I can see that the romance will be a super slow burn. And I love those so doesn’t bother me one bit. I even like how it’s set-up right now (I don’t want to mention more because of spoilers). It’s just a true to life way of romance and I think this slow development will be EVERYTHING.
I can’t wait for more of this one. It was just what I was looking for when I picked it up and I’m genuinely excited to keep reading. Highly recommend for my fantasy friends!
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: mild
- Trigger/Content Warnings: small battle scenes, torture, loss of loved ones, domestic abuse (recounted)
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Y’all. New fantasy obsession alert. I LOVED this!! Another Kindle Unlimited gem that has its hooks in me.
This is a slow build. And at times you do feel that slowness, but it has a necessity. I hate when things are slow and aren’t truly moving. In this case, we got to see some major character growth from Cistine and I looooved that. I enjoy seeing the development of skills rather than overnight they are fantastic at everything.
The plot is satisfying too. The world building is easy to follow and I like how the magic system is involved. I also absolutely loved that this had FOUND FAMILY. One of my favorite non-romantic tropes. This group grew on me and I am hopeful that we get to see there stories as the series progresses.
I can see that the romance will be a super slow burn. And I love those so doesn’t bother me one bit. I even like how it’s set-up right now (I don’t want to mention more because of spoilers). It’s just a true to life way of romance and I think this slow development will be EVERYTHING.
I can’t wait for more of this one. It was just what I was looking for when I picked it up and I’m genuinely excited to keep reading. Highly recommend for my fantasy friends!
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: mild
- Trigger/Content Warnings: small battle scenes, torture, loss of loved ones, domestic abuse (recounted)
September 5, 2020
Darkwind follows the story of Cistine, a young princess who decides to take matters into own hands to avoid war. She sails north with her closest companions in hopes to strike a deal with a land that was once her kingdoms enemy. What she didn’t expect, was to be taken captive by a band of dangerous outlaws.
What I loved most about this story was the elaborate set of characters. Wow! The author develops a masterful and complex set of characters with unique personalities, motivations and backstories! The band of outlaws, the cabal, reminds me of the dregs from six of crows, you will fall in love with every single one of them. In the first half of the book it took me a bit to grasp the world building and all the names and settings, but after that it was much clearer! I was glad to see that Cistine was not a fighter or strong princess like we usually encounter in fantasy novels lately, she has a lot to learn still to lead, it made her relatable. It is an action-packed dark fantasy with amazing character development, I felt connected to them like I knew them in real life.
The ending made me eager to pick up the sequel. This plot has so much potential I am eager to continue following this unlikely group that I have grown very found of.
What I loved most about this story was the elaborate set of characters. Wow! The author develops a masterful and complex set of characters with unique personalities, motivations and backstories! The band of outlaws, the cabal, reminds me of the dregs from six of crows, you will fall in love with every single one of them. In the first half of the book it took me a bit to grasp the world building and all the names and settings, but after that it was much clearer! I was glad to see that Cistine was not a fighter or strong princess like we usually encounter in fantasy novels lately, she has a lot to learn still to lead, it made her relatable. It is an action-packed dark fantasy with amazing character development, I felt connected to them like I knew them in real life.
The ending made me eager to pick up the sequel. This plot has so much potential I am eager to continue following this unlikely group that I have grown very found of.
October 4, 2021
AAAAAAAHHHHHHH. That's all my brain is telling me right now. But let me try and gather my thoughts so I can review this.
What to expect?
~the best found family.
~amazing and deep relationships
~complicated and twisted feelings
~plenty of enemy to lovers feels
~the best MC with an amazing pov.
~thrilling adventure
~hilarious bantet
~some queer coded characters (confirmed by author)
I love this. Ooohhh, how I fricking loved this!! I love the characters, the relationships between them, the complicated web of everything that was going on at all times.
I have often said that I want more stories were the heroin isn't perfect and strong from the start, were I can see her grow and develop, and this is one of this stories.
I loved all the little things this book tought me along the way, the lessons I have already learns but I was reminded of again. This made me laugh (plenty), made my cry (three times) and made me thought a lot about life, about the choices we make. Thank you Renee, I can't wait to read more about this characters!
And well, that's it from me, I'm spending too much time here and I need to go and start reading the second book RIGHT NOW. So over and out xD
What to expect?
~the best found family.
~amazing and deep relationships
~complicated and twisted feelings
~plenty of enemy to lovers feels
~the best MC with an amazing pov.
~thrilling adventure
~hilarious bantet
~some queer coded characters (confirmed by author)
I love this. Ooohhh, how I fricking loved this!! I love the characters, the relationships between them, the complicated web of everything that was going on at all times.
I have often said that I want more stories were the heroin isn't perfect and strong from the start, were I can see her grow and develop, and this is one of this stories.
I loved all the little things this book tought me along the way, the lessons I have already learns but I was reminded of again. This made me laugh (plenty), made my cry (three times) and made me thought a lot about life, about the choices we make. Thank you Renee, I can't wait to read more about this characters!
And well, that's it from me, I'm spending too much time here and I need to go and start reading the second book RIGHT NOW. So over and out xD
September 3, 2021
Where do I even start with this review? I cannot gush enough about this book guys. Like WOW. This lady has an incredible knack for world building and characterization. Her writing is so stunning and vivid that you can’t help but feel sucked into her world from the very first chapter! And the way she flawlessly creates characters that are all so unique and individual is an art which makes me slightly jealous ;) Her intensity and excitement, as seen through Cistine's naive perspective is so thrilling to watch, and as she grows, you just can't help but root for her!
Then there's the cabal, who despite not being blood relative just flow together in a perfect way. From their first introductions we get to know who they are as people inside and out, and I love everything about it. Quill and Thorne...just yes. and Maleck... ugh, they're all so amazing! I truly felt like reading this was an experience everyone needs to go through, because I have no words to describe it's true beauty!!
Then there's the cabal, who despite not being blood relative just flow together in a perfect way. From their first introductions we get to know who they are as people inside and out, and I love everything about it. Quill and Thorne...just yes. and Maleck... ugh, they're all so amazing! I truly felt like reading this was an experience everyone needs to go through, because I have no words to describe it's true beauty!!
January 27, 2021
Easily Swept Away By this Tale!
I had casually picked this up to see if I was ready to commit to another series...after being thoroughly sucked in I can confidently say I’m in too deep to escape now. Nor do I want out! Quickly onto the next book as soon as I finish writing this blurb...aaand...onward!!
I had casually picked this up to see if I was ready to commit to another series...after being thoroughly sucked in I can confidently say I’m in too deep to escape now. Nor do I want out! Quickly onto the next book as soon as I finish writing this blurb...aaand...onward!!
May 22, 2023
Books like this are the reason my reading standards are so damn high.
✔️ Likeable MC who is sweet but strong, open-minded, self-aware and regularly reflects on her shortcomings, tries to do better, and actually GROWS as a person
✔️ Realistic relationships, including a proper, believable slow-burn romance (or at least, the makings of one)
✔️ Beautiful found family full of complex, multi-dimensional characters that regularly made me want to cry
✔️ Realistic timeline for events and growth - admittedly parts of this felt slow sometimes but the writing and the characters were so good that I didn’t once get bored
I’ll admit there were times that I wanted to shake some sense into Cistine, particularly near the end, but even when she made bad choices or said things I didn’t agree with, they made sense for her character. I don’t need to love every aspect of an MC, as long as they are informed by a character’s personality and background. I cannot even say how much I appreciate how well-written she was.
5⭐️
✔️ Likeable MC who is sweet but strong, open-minded, self-aware and regularly reflects on her shortcomings, tries to do better, and actually GROWS as a person
✔️ Realistic relationships, including a proper, believable slow-burn romance (or at least, the makings of one)
✔️ Beautiful found family full of complex, multi-dimensional characters that regularly made me want to cry
✔️ Realistic timeline for events and growth - admittedly parts of this felt slow sometimes but the writing and the characters were so good that I didn’t once get bored
I’ll admit there were times that I wanted to shake some sense into Cistine, particularly near the end, but even when she made bad choices or said things I didn’t agree with, they made sense for her character. I don’t need to love every aspect of an MC, as long as they are informed by a character’s personality and background. I cannot even say how much I appreciate how well-written she was.
5⭐️
February 1, 2025
I devoured this book, and every bite was delicious.
A fleshed out fantasy world, dangerous power, beautiful bonds between people, chemistry between two certain individuals that I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
Cistine is a protagonist that I really admire! I loved seeing her grow throughout the story and how she’s got morals that I can get behind.
This book is perfect for those who love fantasy, adventure, and found family.
One of the best reads of 2021...this series is my newest bookish obsession.
A fleshed out fantasy world, dangerous power, beautiful bonds between people, chemistry between two certain individuals that I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
Cistine is a protagonist that I really admire! I loved seeing her grow throughout the story and how she’s got morals that I can get behind.
This book is perfect for those who love fantasy, adventure, and found family.
One of the best reads of 2021...this series is my newest bookish obsession.
June 29, 2022
It’s official: I’m obsessed. 🤩🙌🏼😭💯
Darkwind is such a good story! I loved Cistine and following her journey—and not just because she’s like me and will never say no to tea. 😂😘 All of the characters are so rich and they have such deep, powerful relationships. The world is fascinating and the story itself struck a chord in me. And there were so many lines that caught me in the feels so much I had to pause over them. ❤️ Just fantastic all around and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! 🤩
Darkwind is such a good story! I loved Cistine and following her journey—and not just because she’s like me and will never say no to tea. 😂😘 All of the characters are so rich and they have such deep, powerful relationships. The world is fascinating and the story itself struck a chord in me. And there were so many lines that caught me in the feels so much I had to pause over them. ❤️ Just fantastic all around and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! 🤩
January 23, 2021
"Determination blazed through Cistine. Like Maleck, with his deadly eyes and the sensitive spirit beneath, and like Tatiana, with her fierce love of weaponry and clothing and her honest heart behind it all, there was more than just the brutal outer shell of Valgard to behold. Cistine would find a way to understand its true spirit and ally herself to that, not only to its vicious might."
I am so thankful to author Renee Dugan for reaching out to me for the promotion of her book series "The Starchaser Saga" and sending the physical copy Darkwind to me in exchange for an honest review.
I dived into this book without any expectations, what so ever. Internally, I hoped it will be as good as its cover. Yes! I am guilty of judging the book by its cover :p
Anyways, the story started as usual about a princess who loves books and she's the palace's gossiper (literally loves to eaves drop and learn new gossips and spread em). She learns through eavesdropping in on her parents (king & queen) and fellow royalties about possibilities of war. Also, keeping in mind that the princess is really spoiled (more cliché) but the story develops when the princess and her wardens go on a journey in secret after her 20th birthday. The princess decides to help her kingdom by going into a sort of forbidden kingdom of Valgard to negotiate with them into becoming allies with her kingdom. Given the past history of war that waged between these two kingdoms because of Augmentation (a sort of magic). There were bits and pieces defined about augementation but I felt like it was still not clear. A bit disappointing I suppose. Hopefully, there will be more details in the other two books. During this journey, she meets a group of dangerous thieves who later turn out to be a cabal, a close knitted bunch of people trying to keep their city safe. She finds out they are not her enemies, but are they truly her friends/mentors?
The characters were mind blowing. The members of the cabal reminded of the zumra (WHTF) and SOC characters. I love morally grey characters so much. Cistine's (the princess) character development was so impressive and even Thorne's (cabal's leader). I am excited to read more about them in the next books.
Even though the book had a sort of fluctuating pace (fast and slow), I got hooked to it. Renee really knows how to keep her audience engaged. There was action, drama, romance & suspense. The only thing missing was a little bit of magic. The ending of this first part left me craving for more because apparently, there was an interesting twist.
Apart from a few clichés, the book is definitely worth reading.
I am so thankful to author Renee Dugan for reaching out to me for the promotion of her book series "The Starchaser Saga" and sending the physical copy Darkwind to me in exchange for an honest review.
I dived into this book without any expectations, what so ever. Internally, I hoped it will be as good as its cover. Yes! I am guilty of judging the book by its cover :p
Anyways, the story started as usual about a princess who loves books and she's the palace's gossiper (literally loves to eaves drop and learn new gossips and spread em). She learns through eavesdropping in on her parents (king & queen) and fellow royalties about possibilities of war. Also, keeping in mind that the princess is really spoiled (more cliché) but the story develops when the princess and her wardens go on a journey in secret after her 20th birthday. The princess decides to help her kingdom by going into a sort of forbidden kingdom of Valgard to negotiate with them into becoming allies with her kingdom. Given the past history of war that waged between these two kingdoms because of Augmentation (a sort of magic). There were bits and pieces defined about augementation but I felt like it was still not clear. A bit disappointing I suppose. Hopefully, there will be more details in the other two books. During this journey, she meets a group of dangerous thieves who later turn out to be a cabal, a close knitted bunch of people trying to keep their city safe. She finds out they are not her enemies, but are they truly her friends/mentors?
The characters were mind blowing. The members of the cabal reminded of the zumra (WHTF) and SOC characters. I love morally grey characters so much. Cistine's (the princess) character development was so impressive and even Thorne's (cabal's leader). I am excited to read more about them in the next books.
Even though the book had a sort of fluctuating pace (fast and slow), I got hooked to it. Renee really knows how to keep her audience engaged. There was action, drama, romance & suspense. The only thing missing was a little bit of magic. The ending of this first part left me craving for more because apparently, there was an interesting twist.
Apart from a few clichés, the book is definitely worth reading.
November 8, 2020
I don’t normally read fantasy books but I needed a palate cleanser from all the thrillers I read last month. Luckily I had the perfect book for that!
DarkWind is a YA fantasy that follows the story of Cistine, a Talhemic princess who fled from her kingdom, along with her warden and the boy she’s been dreaming about since she was a young girl.
Cistine ventures into the mystical lands of Valgard, where she seeks the help of the Chancellor in power to unite with against King Jad and the Southern Kingdom. However, along the way, Cistine gets taken in by the former High Tribune and his cabal, where she is trained to deal with the threats and secrets that lie deep within the northern kingdom.
This was such a captivating fantasy. Cistine is a dynamic character. She’s clever, empathetic and although she still has a lot to learn, she’s determined to better herself which I found truly inspiring. The tension between some of the characters added a very interesting element to the story and the ending was fantastic!
Thank you to the author @reneedugan for providing me with a copy of this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book of the Starchaser Saga, Dawnstar.
DarkWind is a YA fantasy that follows the story of Cistine, a Talhemic princess who fled from her kingdom, along with her warden and the boy she’s been dreaming about since she was a young girl.
Cistine ventures into the mystical lands of Valgard, where she seeks the help of the Chancellor in power to unite with against King Jad and the Southern Kingdom. However, along the way, Cistine gets taken in by the former High Tribune and his cabal, where she is trained to deal with the threats and secrets that lie deep within the northern kingdom.
This was such a captivating fantasy. Cistine is a dynamic character. She’s clever, empathetic and although she still has a lot to learn, she’s determined to better herself which I found truly inspiring. The tension between some of the characters added a very interesting element to the story and the ending was fantastic!
Thank you to the author @reneedugan for providing me with a copy of this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book of the Starchaser Saga, Dawnstar.
February 19, 2021
The ONLY place I could find a decent quality cover picture was Amazon, but I couldn’t zoom out so it cropped out some of the border and that makes me sad. Lol. But this book makes me happy. Why? Because its fantasy (my personal fav) and Dugan does a really, really good job immersing you in the fantasy world. I LOVED the main characters, Cistine, Thorne, and Ashe, and I am definitely exciting to read the second book. My one area of issue was that I wished more of the book focused on battles and action. There was action, but mostly in the form of Cistine training to fight...maybe fighting will come in number 2? But she just trained for so long, it would almost be like waiting the Hunger games kids train and then the actual games are like two pages. I know this book is very different than Hunger games, but suffice to say I just really wanted more battle! That said, I get the feeling there will be a lot more action in the next book, which I will be reading! Overall, this was a great fantasy with cool characters and even better world-building. Consensus: 4/5
For more reviews and book boards, visit me on IG! @katiebreads
For more reviews and book boards, visit me on IG! @katiebreads
October 6, 2021
I finished Darkwind last night after staying up way to late to read the last 200 pages. I really loved this story. At first I really struggled with the main character, Princess Cistine, but she grew so much over the course of the book. Going from a spoiled and naive princess to someone who thinks of others and will risk her own life to save her friends. The characters were incredibly well written. Thorne I especially loved! The ending was fast paced and I couldn’t put it down.
November 19, 2022
I loved the majority of this story, was bored for a little bit of it and the ending was fantastic. I think parts of this book could have been cut out - it became repetitive and very wordy. I also would have liked a little bit more romantic tension in the book. Maybe that will come later! The cliff hanger was great, though! Excited for more, but I’m not running out to buy the next book right now either. Oh, the struggles!
January 12, 2022
Everything about this book made me want to avoid my adult responsibilities and read all day long! From the very beginning I was drawn to the story and the incredible world that was portrayed. Easily one of the best, well-written books I have ever read! I could hardly put it down!
August 28, 2022
That took forever! This book started with intrigue and action and then the entire middle it seemed like nothing happened. At. All. Cistine getting trained takes up the majority of the book. I feel like a lot of that could be taken out or hurried a little bit. Idk. Could just be me being impatient lol. Still, it was a rather slow read. Not sure if I’ll pick up the next book or not…
December 21, 2022
Book two, here I come! I enjoyed the ride and can’t wait to see what happens next!
Edit to add: if you finished book one, you must absolutely read book 2! Sooooo goood!!!
Edit to add: if you finished book one, you must absolutely read book 2! Sooooo goood!!!
September 12, 2021
How am I going to explain how truly amazing this story is? I could not stop reading and when I'd have to take a break it wouldn't leave me! The character development and pacing was well done. I loved how the main character, Cistine grew throughout the story and connecting with her along the way. My heart ached the closer I got to the ending because I didn't want it to END! I have already ordered the second book.
Do me a favor and read Darkwind!
Do me a favor and read Darkwind!
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