Lodestone

by Katherine Forrister

Lodestone-peddler Melaine is desperate to stop hustling her raw magic for a tuppence. Her rare gift of infusing her magic into a lodestone to sell for another's use and never keeping any for herself is nothing but a degrading path to an early grave.

Yearning for a better life, Melaine turns to her unconventional childhood idol, the powerful but sinister Overlord, sorcerer-ruler of Centara. When she achieves an audience and arrives at his reclusive retreat of ancient Highstrong Keep, she finds that the compelling, handsome man who conquered a kingdom by the age of twenty is now a weak, shadowed husk, and he needs her lodestones to give him strength. In exchange, he will take her on as his apprentice.

Trapped in Highstrong with a half-crazed prisoner, a strict servant, and the Overlord, Melaine learns that they may all be prey to far more malevolent forces than the Overlord's black-magic experiments. Faced with menacing apparitions, ancient curses, and an even greater horror that could threaten the entire kingdom if unleashed, Melaine's penchant for survival is contested by her growing feelings for the Overlord and her path toward finding a deeper meaning to life than the pure power she once craved.

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Witches

422 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2021

About the author

Katherine Forrister is an author and narrative designer. Her works include Lodestone, The Hand-Me-Down Maiden, and Curio Citizen. Under the pen name K. E. Torwood, she published Lazare: Gaston Leroux's Continued Investigation Concerning the Phantom of the Opera.

Katherine lives near Kansas City with her family, where she enjoys local festivals and conventions, hiking, playing open-world video games, and curling up on the sofa to read on cold winter days.

Reviews

[M.J. Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of this book, and if you are a fan of dark fantasy, morally grey characters with room to grow, and fascinating, original magic systems, don't miss it!

The magic system in LODESTONE was unlike anything I personally have read before. The idea of imbibing an object with magic has been done before, of course, but the concept of the lodestones themselves was fascinating and ripe for further exploration in other stories in this world, I think!! The comparison Forrister makes of giving magic to another person in this way with sex work really gave a heavy emotional currency to magic, which was expanded on later in the story when we explore the idea of what it would feel like if someone were to strip your magic without your consent.

Melaine as a character was incredibly relatable. A scrappy, ambitious woman trying to claw her way up from the dregs of society by any means necessary - it's an impulse I think a lot of us identify with, whether or not we want to, haha. I won't give any spoilers in this review, but watching her grow and evolve throughout the story was one of my favorite parts of LODESTONE.

Overall, I devoured this book. There were twists and turns, fascinating magic and terrifying enemies! If this is what she pulls off in her very first novel, I can't wait to see what Forrister's future books hold!

[Gabrielle Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book. LODESTONE is a dark fantasy tale with immersive world building and a compelling heroine following a plot with hints of Beauty and the Beast. Only this time Beauty goes to the Beast on purpose, and she does it with the intention of making herself stronger.

The beginning of LODESTONE pulled me in immediately. Forrister does an excellent job with the setting, painting the scene with small, but intentional, details that really anchor this fantasy world in both the familiar and not. The protagonist, Melaine, is a lodestone peddler, which means she crafts her own magic into stones that other people use for their own ends. Without spoiling anything, Forrister does a great job of showing the emotional and physical price a lodestone peddler must pay, which makes you sympathize with Melaine’s ultimate goal of escaping her circumstances no matter the cost.

The world and magic system give Forrister a lot of room to write more books in this world, and I hope she does because there is a lot to love here. Between the setting, the protagonist, and the magic, I’m not sure which is my favorite because they were all done so well.

I’m excited to see what Forrister writes next!

[H.M. Long]

Fans of dark fantasy and romance, haunted castles and grotesque monsters will find much to love in Lodestone! For me, Lodestone's original and complex magic system shone brightest, where magic can be given and transferred via the use of lodestones, as the name suggests. The book is gritty and moody, with a dash of mystery and Beauty and the Beast vibes with a driven and free-willed heroine.
TW: Sexual assault & gore

[Noah Lemelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting fantasy novel, with a fascinating magic system. Instead of being primarily knowledge-based, magic is very much an extension of the body, in a truly biological sense. As such it can be harvested and shared in the form of Lodestones. This idea ends up leading to an interesting dynamic, with the protagonist selling her lodestones in a way that feels desperate and at times exploitative, it gives this real visceral and potentially uncomfortable feeling to her powers, it positions her as skillful but not powerful. Like so many people her abilities are seen as only something to extract and exploit. Melaine’s journey feels all the more compelling coming from such a low position in society, the way she is able to gain agency and power as the story goes on is both engaging and fascinating.

The arc of the novel follows something vaguely akin to a Beauty and the Beast story, but I feel that summary doesn’t do it justice. It goes in more interesting directions, and delves into the history of its world, its traumas and how that affects the characters on both ends of the relationship. It doesn’t hurt that it does all this is a vividly realized fantasy setting, with deep and engaging mysteries.

Highly recommended. 5/5.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forrister debuts with an impressive fantasy that leaves the reader both satisfied and wanting more. Melaine lives in Stakeside, a grimy town in the land of the Centara people. She's an orphan and fights for her living by creating lodestones - small pieces of her magic that she draws from her bones and can give away. While magic in this world is common and available, not everyone can use it the way Melaine can. But she's spent all her life trying to figure out how she can get ahead in the world without giving away her power to everyone who will pay for it.

When Melaine has the opportunity to leave Stakeside for the palace of Highstrong Keep, she jumps at the chance. She has always wanted to meet the Overlord, who took over Centara as a young man and defeated the oppressors of the Luxian order. The Overlord isn't necessarily a benevolent king - there are many shades of gray surrounding his use of magic - but Melaine is desperate to do more with her life, and she's been obsessed with him since childhood. The Overlord has been losing his own powers, and Melaine can keep him going by giving him her lodestones. Melaine settles into a routine, but she's unsettled by the palace guards, the enigmatic prisoner in the jails below the castle, and the eyes that seem to watch her everywhere. What is the Overlord hiding, and can she truly escape from a life of trading her magic for survival?

This is a richly detailed book, with descriptions that will make the reader feel like they are there with Melaine. At first, the reader isn't sure if Melaine will ever make a human connection - she almost feels isolated. Although she has friends in Stakeside, she doesn't seem like she belongs there. This feeling, along with the questionable morals of pretty much everyone in the story, persists through the middle as Melaine searches for her purpose. As secrets are revealed, a wave of redemption rises. I don't want to say too much since I don't want to spoil anything - I'll just say that Melaine's entire character arc is perfectly plotted. For fans of dark and sometimes-quiet fantasies, this is an immersive read that ultimately brings hope.

[K.T. Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

High lords, high magic, high praise for this phenomenal novel.

Rating: 4.5/5

I am usually pretty remiss in giving over 4-star ratings to a book (I can be a little stingy with my stars) but "Lodestone" by Katherine Forrister was too good to be dingy on. 'Lodestone' follows the grifty, down-to-earth, and a little hardcode Melaine, a lodestone peddler with dreams of a better life. Melaine's magic, we're told early on, is strong, but I'd have to say not nearly as strong as Melaine's will and sense of self. While the beginning of the book feels a little sluggish to wade through, although I think in an intentional way to drive some real emotional empathy between the reader and Melaine, the second half of the book literally had me on the edge of my seat.

Melaine, the story's phenomenal heroine, stands out as being strong and street-smart without being whiny. Often, when writing strong female characters, there's this trend for them to more or less announce that they are strong. Melaine, instead, shows us that she has had the strength to continue surviving in a world that looks down at people like her, and has been crafty enough to dream of a way out - which she then turns in to a reality. Throughout the entire novel she has strength, and a quick mind, that allows her to save the day and learn as she does so.

The Overlord, the world's most unlikely hero, had my heart strings tugged from his first introduction. Forrister's character is complex, secluded and secretive, and a pleasure to get to know. His interactions with Melaine were among my favorite in the book, second only to Salma (the BEST maternal character ever), and his backstory was devestating in an amazing way.

Forrister's world building reminded me a lot of Robert Jordan's 'Wheel of Time' series (high praise to be sure) and her complex characters drew me in, the same way Tamora Pierce's characters have always been easy to connect with. I know 'lodestone' is a standable but I need more - I would absolutely LOVE prequel where we get to see Actaeon in action before the events of the book. Knowing that Melaine looked up to him for so long leaves me longing for more glimpses into his life, and his actions, before she came bursting in to it.

I can't speak highly enough of this fantastic novel - and will definitely be ordering myself a copy when it comes out.

Thank you to Katherine Forrister and GenZ for an e-ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast meets Howl's Moving Castle! This grabbed me pretty much right away and I plowed through it in one night. I was quite happy that "Beauty" had a lot more agency in her story: she gets to choose her path to the Beast. Overall, this is a haunted castle story with a plucky heroine and a Byronicly tortured hero. What more could you want? Recommended!

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of this really grabbed me as I had such empathy and admiration for Melaine . She’s instantly a character to cheer for because she’s a survivor and whilst perhaps not a heroine who knows how to take numbers so to speak she most definitely has backbone. Her life is in many ways a tragedy as she’s alone , selling her magical lodestones and just trying not to get killed. She lives in the dirtiest, poorest part of the kingdom and dreams of escaping past the gates into the part of the city that’s more affluent . Melaine is tired of draining herself, beyond tired of her dreary existence and decides to do something about it. Having always admired the mysterious Overlord who rules the kingdom all Melaine has to do is bribe an official to get her an audience but be careful what you wish for because sometimes there’s an even greater evil waiting out there !
I really enjoyed the magic here and there’s actually more than just the lodestones that people like Melaine can make. A lodestone is formed actually from the body and energy of the person and can be used to temporarily give another strength or speed for example. The much more insidious magic is when objects are imbued with a spell that seeps into the holder and can be temporary but even better can be something permanent such as the ability to hear things when not in the room. Of course magic comes at a price and Melaine is willing to do anything to learn even if it’s blood magic. Which is why she is willing to work for the Overlord who is feared because of his sorcery and experiments.
As much as I enjoyed the beginning once the Overlord comes into the picture the pace seemed to slow a little. Melaine is a curious sort, eager to discover whatever secrets she can but the chapters when she first goes to the Keep are definitely ones I struggled to imagine inside my head although admittedly she is quite literally in the dark at time so perhaps that explains it !
I will say this took a turn towards the end that I honestly couldn’t have predicted and it did soften my opinions of certain characters. Although I am still a little confused by the attraction between Malaine and the Overlord because unless I’m much mistaken there quite an age gap between them so eww ! There are certainly possibilities for more stories in this world because in spite of certain revelations we still know nothing about just where Melaine originally comes from so yes I’d very much like to read more from this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

[Johnny Priest · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a lover of fantasy, horror, mystery and romance, Lodestone should be your next read. Melaine is a unique protagonist who isn’t shy about her desire to elevate herself from the slums she grew up in. Her desperation to escape poverty at any cost, even by seeking out favor from the dark figure who rules over her city, creates a realistic and grounded framework for this fantasy novel. From the beginning, Melaine is clearly capable, but her path could lead her into darkness or light. Beyond the tight-knit cast of characters, the other star of Lodestone is the magic system. It’s fascinating and unique, unlike any other I’ve encountered in a book, and manages to be simple to understand yet still surprising in its application. Overall, Lodestone is an enjoyable and intriguing novel that scratches a lot of fantasy itches. Highly recommended.

[NotAmanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to Netgalley and Katherine Forrister for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Melanie is a young woman who has survived the streets and slums by selling lodestones, crystals of magical power few people are able to produce. Her customers often try to take advantage of her and she has to use the small remaining power she is able to keep for her self to fend off the worst of them. Melanie wants better. Deserves Better. Is better than her surroundings the destitute life she lives.
She decides they only way out is to become a follower of the Overlord. The man who took down the ruling King.
Once in the presence of the Overlord, she realizes that all is not how it seems. The Overlord is a weak, dying man who, just like the customers on the filthy streets of her home, needs her lodestones to give him strength.

Overall I'm giving this one 4 stars. I really liked Melanie's character. A strong woman, not allowing herself to be consumed by the life forced onto her. She had a goal and did what she needed to do to obtain it. I was not a fan of the Overlord. The entire time I was wondering which direction their relationship was going... and I still don't really know what their relationship was. He was 20+ years older than her (which, you do you, but this is such a thing in YA and maybe it shouldn't be) and half the time he seemed like a father figure, only to turn into a romantic figure.

Decent read. I enjoyed it.

[lady h · Rating 2 out of 5]

LODESTONE starts off very promising. Though the writing could certainly be stronger, the author is skilled in writing vivid descriptions. Melaine's home of Stakeside is a very clear analogy to the slums of Victorian London, and the horrors of its poverty are depicted unflinchingly, which created a very strong atmosphere. Melaine herself starts off as a very interesting character -- prickly, abrasive, independent, resourceful -- all of which makes sense given her harsh upbringing as an orphan in the slums.

Aspects of the magic system are impressive. I specifically say "aspects," however, because other aspects of it felt confusing and contrived. Melaine is able to craft lodestones, which means she can push out the magic in the marrow of her bones to form a stone that others are then able to use. I found this aspect really cool! But then we're introduced to wands and other random aspects that made the magic seem kind of vague and all-encompassing, which was a disappointment.

The first half of this book was enjoyable, especially with all of its Gothic tones, but then it quickly started to drag. The middle of the book was filled with repetitive scenes; it was essentially just Melaine wandering around, discovering weird things, and then not having straightforward conversations with anyone about said weird things, which only served to drag out a mystery that didn't need to be a mystery if people just communicated.

Then there was the romance, which I'd been looking forward to, and it started off somewhat promising, but then it quickly devolved into a weirdly obsessive instalove and Melaine seemed to have suffered a personality transplant. Here's an example of an interaction that made me absolutely cringe:

"Please," she said, tears burning her eyes. "Don't give up. You're the first person I've ever been terrified to lose. The only one I've let in that deep. Dammit, Actaeon, don't make me lose you."

"You can't mean that," he said.

"I do," she said. "It's stupid, I know. But...I've always fought to survive. And now, I...I don't think I can live without you."

I literally said "ew" out loud because that is just such terrible writing. What happened to prickly, self-contained, reserved Melaine???

Also, the Overlord is built up as this impressive villain, and in the end he just has your classic Tragic Hero backstory and he's redeemed as a Good Guy, which is boring.

By the end, I was skimming entire chunks because I just did not care anymore about the characters and what had become an extremely predictable plot. I was relieved to be done with this, which is a shame considering how well it started off.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melaine is struggling to get by, she wants to raise herself out of Stakeside (the poor area of town), and to not end up in an early grave from creating too many Lodestones. She dreams of gaining the attention of the Overlord, even though some people warn her he might not be the saviour she dreams he is. I loved this fascinating tale, Melaine has plenty of hardship and challenges (which helps with the angst), and I loved how determine and resourceful she is. I was so absorbed in this gritty dangerous world, that I hardly noticed the pages turning, and I loved the main and side characters (they felt almost like they were sitting beside me).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Claire Holroyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

LODESTONE by debut author Katherine Forrister begins with lodestone-peddlar Melaine in a re-imagined Medieval Age commonly found in the fantasy genre. As an orphan, Melaine has survived all of her twenty-one years in the slums of Stakeside by using her rare ability to create lodestones. Magic is biological in nature, sourced from the marrow in one’s bones. Melaine can summon this magic and solidify it into diamond-shaped crystals imbibed with her raw lifeforce.

After watching too many of the forsaken fall victim to the perils of the slums, Melanie is determined to improve her lot. She trades six lodestones for a rare audience with the Overlord, the fearsome ruler of Centara. He has retreated to the near-abandoned Highstrong Keep, ancient and haunted by its history. After Melanie clears the gates, a riveting fairytale unfolds with a transformation curse, demonic possession, white-magic phantom, and a library with cabinets full of Insights, or organic matter used as conduits for spells. Insights are where the author gets to showcase her creativity, as in the description of an Insight containing a speed spell that “looked like a gilded horse’s tail with a knot at the top, each hair coated in real gold. She brushed the wand through the tail; the long strands rattled like ice-covered willow branches.”

The Overlord is nothing like Melaine imagined—not as a ruler or a man. Melaine becomes his apprentice and strengthens her powers. Under cover of darkness, she works to uncover the secrets of both the Overlord and Highstrong Keep in order to stop a gruesome evil that grows stronger as it feeds. For the first time in Melaine’s life, there is far more at stake than saving her own skin. There is the fate of every man, woman, and child—and the one she desperately loves.

Many thanks to the author and GenZ for providing an ARC in an author swap. I also purchased my own paperback copy.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be highly entertaining and think anyone who loves fantasy and a tormented hero with a mysterious past will feel the same. Katherine Forrister's writing is captivatingly descriptive, as well as thrillingly creepy and unsettling at all the right times. She expertly incorporated key elements of fantasy with her own concepts and at no point did I feel I was reading just another version of some other story in the same genre. The magic system seemed especially unique. I was really drawn into the story from the very beginning and could have read straight through in one sitting if I'd had the time. I did have quite a few questions throughout, but all were answered by the end. K.F. has clearly put her heart and soul into writing this, and tying up all the loose ends.

As much as I enjoyed this book, there are a few reasons why I could not give it a full five star rating. For one, I found Melaine to be an exceedingly irritating protagonist. She acted immature, selfish, and rude, and would become angry when people she treated in such ways returned the favor. I was constantly rolling my eyes at her behavior and hoping she would mature, but alas her character growth was marginal. The Overlord was an easy character to love and sympathize with, but I could hardly care for Malaine at all.

Additionally, so much happened in a span of only a week or two, it made the romantic aspects ill-fitting and (I'm saying this as a romance lover) uncomfortable. Malaine's captivation by the Overlord was one thing, but I found it grew to a nauseating level of obsession mere days after she met him for the first time. Therefore I found her thoughts and treatment of the Overlord towards the end to be overly forward and awkward. Had some portion of the text been given to the development of a romantic relationship and the story taken place over a much longer period of time, or the characters remained platonic, I believe the whole story would have been a lot stronger and nearly flawless.

Despite these points taking up the majority of my review, I was so impressed by the rest of this book that I couldn't bear to deny it more than one star. I look forward to checking out more of this author's work. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for this honest review.

[Jessika Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Every human could use magic to an extent. It nestled in their bone marrow, waiting to be tapped from birth."
I knew from the start I was going to love this fantasy, but I wasn't prepared for how gripping it was. It starts in the gritty, sickness laden streets of Stakeside, and progresses through Melaine's arduous journey to earn tutelage from the Overlord in Highstrong Keep. The Keep itself is pregnant with dark secrets, leading Melaine and her intrinsic magic, onward, revealing a sinister past which had me turning the lights on as I read. Forrister's world building in Lodestone was spot on, weaving the epic fantastical history off the kingdoms and people with the magic system, set in a. gothic-esque castle. The idea of magic being in the very marrow of our bones was a tangible, chilling thought--especially when we start to see what lurks in the Keep, wanting to feed from the marrow of its inhabitants! I would definitely recommend Lodestone for fans of fantasy, gothic horror, and any kind of magical tale. Looking forward to reading more from Katherine Forrister.

[Sian · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this unique magic system and although the pacing was a little slow in parts, the story was fantastic.
The twists and turns were great and I was never quite sure what was going to happen.
Although this is marketed as NA apart from characters ages it reads similar to YA (no spice for anyone wondering), but I think it worked well for where the characters were at in the plot. I can see spice etc being added in future books.

[Haley Kilgour · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, some really good things about this book, and some things I didn’t much care for.

The first thing I wasn’t a fan of was the chapter lengths. Each chapter was 20-40 pages and it just made the book feel like it was dragging on cause I just couldn’t get to a good take a break point.

The descriptions in the book are phenomenal. They’re so vivid. But in the flip side of that, visual description makes up at least half of the book so it feels very overwhelming at times.

The beginning really drags you in as you want to root for Melaine. But as the book goes on, you start to question her a bit. She’s got no patience and just takes what she wants, even though it’s not a good idea. And she knows a guard will try to kill her if she leaves her room at night, yet keeps on doing it. Like what happened to your self preservation girl?!

The end was very action packed, which made it enjoyable. I could’ve lived without the massive Overlord backstory/flashback, and it definitely could’ve been parred down quite a bit.

I’m still confused on the romance between Melaine and the Overlord. Like it’s been two days and there’s feelings… but they don’t ever truly develop. And this dude is old enough to be her father. Needless to say, I didn’t understand it.

I did also find the middle of the book to be a bit repetitive.

Decent indie fantasy book.

[Malkie Hematillake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a dark fantasy romance with perfectly flawed characters that felt achingly human. I loved it.

[Reece · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC from NetGalley

This book isn't quite sure if it wants to be YA or not. The author claims it is not YA, but there isn't anything making this an adult or new adult book aside from the age of the MC. The MC is 21, but she acts like a petulant child throughout, and she does some highly unbelievable things for a person in her situation. She's taken under the wing of someone who she greatly respects. This is her dream. She grew up in less than ideal circumstances and understands that her next meal is not guaranteed. Yet she is incredibly rebellious and disrespectful. She might as well be a teenager, then at least some things would be semi believable coming from a place of naivete. She constantly puts herself in stupid situations. It doesn't make any sense. It's also hard to like a book when I hate the MC.

The love story is highly unbelievable. The pacing is not good. The story is not properly fleshed out. The ending was underwhelming.

I also can't get behind indie authors with loads of other indie authors trading glowing reviews to jack up their book scores. It's tacky and obvious. Just stop it.

All that ranting aside, there were some things I liked about this book. I like the concept of the lodestone and its creation. I like the idea of Insights. It wasn't written poorly. It just feels like it was written too quickly and could have benefited from some fleshing out and maybe more honest beta readers. I'm certainly not writing the author off. She has some interesting ideas.

[Liz Kerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always excited when the comps for a book actually live up to the comparison and WOW this one delivered! I'd been told this felt like a twisty new retelling of Beauty and the Beast and/or Howl's Moving Castle, which are two of my VERY favorite things. Katherine Forrister has created a remarkable and refreshing magic system and characters who get under your skin and set up camp there. I found myself thinking about Melaine and the Overlord even when I wasn't reading, hoping I could finish up my work for the day so I could get back to their adventure. I'm really excited to see what Forrister cooks up next - she's definitely a writer to watch in this genre!

[Nora Suntken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the magic system was one of the most interesting parts of the story. In too many fantasy stories only the most special people are magic, but this world was so innovative in so far as the fact that every person had access to magic in some way, and the way they were able to learn new magic was really fascinating. I liked the dynamic between the Overlord and Melaine at the beginning when it was more just an apprentice and teacher, but as it went on I felt more uncomfortable and annoyed. The cast of characters was interesting, but for me, the plot seemed to go a bit all over the place. Some of the class issues in this world confused me as well since the Overlord said he wanted to fix those issues but it seemed like that didn't change at all ever in his reign. Overall I thought the magic system was the coolest part of the story, and overall really enjoyed it, but found myself a bit lost at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and GenZ Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a good dark fantasy, and this one was totally worth it. The magic system was super interesting, and the world-building was absolutely fantastic. The dark and gothic aspect to this book made it all the more enjoyable and at times even chilling. Melanie was an amazing main character, and I loved seeing her grow and change throughout the book. In conclusion, if you love dark fantasy novels with magic, intrigue, and mystery, you will LOVE this book!

I was provided an ARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Jane-Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
Lodestone is a great gothic romantic fantasy with our heroine getting embroiled with the brooding, Byronic ruler of the land. I throughly enjoyed reading it, and recommend it highly! Five stars!

[Aly Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comparisons to Beauty and the Beast alongside Howl's Moving Castle had me expecting something, shall we say, lighter. This book is definitely 100% dark fantasy meets gothic horror. Maybe even a tinge of body horror, along with some brief sexual content, nothing terribly graphic, but more shocking than comparisons to Howl's Moving Castle of all things would suggest. Apart from the enchanted castle, I almost got more of a Jane Eyre vibe than Beauty and the Beast, particularly the May/December romance with a mysterious employer.

I had a hard time connecting with the main character at first, though I sympathized with her circumstances, but the book was creepy and engaging enough to hold my attention and make for an effortless read. And there's something to be said for moral ambiguity. I really had no idea how things would play out, which is good, and it came to a satisfying end, which is even better.

[AJ Super · Rating 5 out of 5]

This twisted, modern take on a Beauty and the Beast retelling is wonderful. The magic, the amazing characters... the swoons. Forrister tells Belle's/Melaine's story without the reliance on men, or the disturbing mental health implications. It's a great feminist story with strong women and stronger magic, and I loved loved loved it!

[Naomi Hematillake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there was potential at some point. The romance was a fat miss. Good magic system tho

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

[BearInBookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Lodestone" is Katherine Forrister's debut novel, and if haunted castles, tormented heroes and dark magic are your cup of tea, then this is the right book for you. The story revolves around Melaine, our MC, who sells her magic in form of lodestones to make a living while trying to survive on the streets. She loathes not being able to use her magic for herself, and strongly believes she should be doing something "more" with the gift she was given. So she tries to get an audience with the infamous Overlord who conquered Centara with his ruthlessness and powerful magic. and who has been her idol since she was a child. When Melaine finally gets to meet him, she realizes that something is off about the Overlord, but still, she accepts to make him lodestones in exchange of becoming his apprentice. Melaine isn't a conventional heroine, in fact living on the streets taught her to do anything it takes to survive, turning her into quite the dark character. That's why she admires so much the Overlord, even when everyone else shudders remembering the cruelty he showed while conquering the kingdom. As soon as Melaine meets him though, she is disappointed by his weak appearance and can't help but question the strenght of his magic too. It shows during their lessons, when she keeps on complaining sounding, in my opinion, ungrateful. The Overlord has, afterall, given her more than she had in her entire life: food, a home, the chance to become as powerful as she always wanted to be... and still, she doesn't seem to appreciate that, which is a pity because it really made her less likeable. I found myself appreciate her character more towards the end of the book, when she shed some of her selfishness. That said, I really liked the idea of the haunted castle, and the dark magic coupled with all the mystery and suspense, made me eager to keep reading to unreavel the many hidden secrets. Also, the Overlord was every bit the tormented hero I love to read about in a story, so he is definitely a character I appreciated. Aside from Melaine, who I couldn't seem to empathize with, I like the book and would recommend it to all dark fantasy romance lovers.
Many thanks to Netgalley and GenZ Publishing for this advanced readers copy.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well my goodness this book took me completely by surprise and I think this is because the cover didn’t quite depict what I was expecting within. Anticipating a youngish YA/middle grade novel I was bowled over to come up against a fabulously dark and gritty fantasy with some amazing and complex world building and a unique and fascinating magic system. It pulled me in from the opening chapters with the detailed and wonderfully grim portrayal of the poorest part of the kingdom called Stakeside. The author vividly sets the scene and the atmosphere created here is brilliant, almost Dickensian in nature, with descriptions of hideous characters, the squalid living conditions and constantly being on the lookout for cutthroats and pickpockets. This is a powerful and immersive book which is compelling from start to the finish. I can see hints of the Beauty in the Beast in there as well as the usual dark fantasy elements woven with a little mystery and horror.

It is populated with some complex characters. Our main protagonist, Melaine, is a strong and streetwise young woman with drive and ambition. She is a Lodestone pedlar living in Stakeside who dreams of working her way up from the dregs of society and leaving Stakeside altogether. Melaine has been captivated with the Overlord since childhood and by no mean feat manages to orchestrate a meeting with him in the hope of becoming one of his Followers. I loved the dynamics and interactions between these two characters, she starts off as his apprentice and then slowly over time their feelings for each other begin to grow. Romantically nothing happens beyond a kiss but there is clearly an subtle attraction between this unlikely couple. The Overlord is a wonderful dark, sinister and somewhat tormented character but I empathised with him immediately and couldn’t help but love him. His health is failing, and he uses Melaine’s Lodestones to gain some vigour and energy, but we are kept guessing as to why he’s ill until later on in the story

Lodestone is an exciting and action-packed adventure which is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. The author delves quite deeply into the history of the world and the descriptions of the world, magic system and characters are phenomenal. An excellent debut novel and I will definitely be looking out for more of this author’s work.

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for an advance eARC to review in exchange for an honest opinion {gifted}

[beyondyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't have picked a better read for spooky season!

Ghosts? check
Creepy old mansion? check
Fall vibes? check
Dark and enigmatic morally grey character? check
Horror fantasy? check check check!!

Half of this book had me sweating with stress, waiting for the next jumpscare, while the other half had me engrossed in solving the mysteries surrounding the Overlord and Highstrong Keep. While heavy on the descriptions, Forrister managed to create a fascinating world with an intricate back story and magic system, all while painting it in a chill-inducing, terrifying and often gorish atmosphere that had me shiver in fear. I guess reading this so late at night was not the best thing to do 😂

The world was beautifully crafted, and so were the characters. I loved seeing Melaine's character growth, how she learned to use her magic and all the ways it could change. The 'Insight' system was a really interesting concept! As for the Overlord, I liked him, though I did wish he had more scenes and dialogue (hence the -1 star), we only got the learn about him through Melaine's childhood-crush perception up until the last 30% of the book, which made it a bit hard for me to grow attached. Regardless, I was still rooting for him

Some aspects of the plot still left me confused, very minor ones, but I guess a reread will help clear those out. But other than that, I genuinely enjoyed Lodestone! It's definitely the perfect book to read during a rainy october day 🎃👻

Thank you to Katherine Forrister for generously sending me a copy of Lodestone!