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The Kami Prophecy #1
Katana of Trust
Escaping death by her father's hand was only the beginning....
Determined to prove herself to the gods, Shou will do anything to forget the journey that brought her to the island of the kami. Now is her time to rise up and take her place as the chosen one of the prophecy.
But when enemies try to destroy Shou, another human saves her. She's shocked that he bears the same mark as she. Suddenly, Shou questions everything about her history.
Teaming up with Masaru, heir to the Date clan, is her only option to uncover the truth and save herself from death. As Masaru and Shou grow closer, one thing is certain: they've been wrong about the prophecy all along. Horribly wrong.
Will Shou fight for her place among the kami or forge a path of her own?
The first book in The Kami Prophecy, a YA series based on some historical fact and full of action, mythical creatures, and adventure, all set in a fantasy world inspired by feudal Japan.
Determined to prove herself to the gods, Shou will do anything to forget the journey that brought her to the island of the kami. Now is her time to rise up and take her place as the chosen one of the prophecy.
But when enemies try to destroy Shou, another human saves her. She's shocked that he bears the same mark as she. Suddenly, Shou questions everything about her history.
Teaming up with Masaru, heir to the Date clan, is her only option to uncover the truth and save herself from death. As Masaru and Shou grow closer, one thing is certain: they've been wrong about the prophecy all along. Horribly wrong.
Will Shou fight for her place among the kami or forge a path of her own?
The first book in The Kami Prophecy, a YA series based on some historical fact and full of action, mythical creatures, and adventure, all set in a fantasy world inspired by feudal Japan.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2021
74 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
A.C. Ward
15 books31 followersA.C. Ward is a little worried that her internet search history is on some sort of watch list. For the Abyss trilogy, she researched demonic rituals, exorcism, and lethal stab wounds. Her next work in process is only making it worse.
A.C. lives with her husband, daughter, and various pets – dog, cat, gecko, fish, and tarantula. When she’s not writing she’s watching Netflix or rereading her favorite manga. She’d love to hear from her fans. You can contact her at wardabooks@gmail.com.
About the Author Questionaire:
1. Do you put ketchup on a hot dog? – Yes, but relish is most important
2. Choice of soda? – Coke with all the sugar and caffeine, but I mainly drink it when I get a headache.
3. Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry? Strawberry followed by Vanilla for ice cream. I hate chocolate in ice cream, but love it in bar form.
4. Can you swim? – Of course! I’m surrounded by water.
5. Hot dogs or cheeseburger? – Depends on who’s cooking
6. Favorite type of food? – Pasta or ice cream
7. Do you believe in ghosts? – Yes. There are a lot of unexplained things.
8. What do you drink in the morning? – Water, occasionally tea, if you see coffee the morning is bad.
9. Can you do 100 push ups? – No. God no.
10. Summer, Winter, Spring, or Fall? – Summer
11. Your favorite hobby? – playing cell phone games (I don’t consider writing a hobby anymore)
12. Tattoos? – Yes! Two and counting. Already considering my next one.
13. Do you wear glasses? – Not anymore
14. Do you have a phobia? – Ticks
15. Do you have a nick name? – Evil
16. Three favorite drinks? – Coke, peach sweet tea, caramel coffee
17. Biggest downfall? – Overthinking
18. Rain or Snow? – Rain
19. Can you change a tire? – That’s what I pay a service for. I’ve had a spare fly off while driving, so doing it myself seems like a bad plan.
A.C. lives with her husband, daughter, and various pets – dog, cat, gecko, fish, and tarantula. When she’s not writing she’s watching Netflix or rereading her favorite manga. She’d love to hear from her fans. You can contact her at wardabooks@gmail.com.
About the Author Questionaire:
1. Do you put ketchup on a hot dog? – Yes, but relish is most important
2. Choice of soda? – Coke with all the sugar and caffeine, but I mainly drink it when I get a headache.
3. Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry? Strawberry followed by Vanilla for ice cream. I hate chocolate in ice cream, but love it in bar form.
4. Can you swim? – Of course! I’m surrounded by water.
5. Hot dogs or cheeseburger? – Depends on who’s cooking
6. Favorite type of food? – Pasta or ice cream
7. Do you believe in ghosts? – Yes. There are a lot of unexplained things.
8. What do you drink in the morning? – Water, occasionally tea, if you see coffee the morning is bad.
9. Can you do 100 push ups? – No. God no.
10. Summer, Winter, Spring, or Fall? – Summer
11. Your favorite hobby? – playing cell phone games (I don’t consider writing a hobby anymore)
12. Tattoos? – Yes! Two and counting. Already considering my next one.
13. Do you wear glasses? – Not anymore
14. Do you have a phobia? – Ticks
15. Do you have a nick name? – Evil
16. Three favorite drinks? – Coke, peach sweet tea, caramel coffee
17. Biggest downfall? – Overthinking
18. Rain or Snow? – Rain
19. Can you change a tire? – That’s what I pay a service for. I’ve had a spare fly off while driving, so doing it myself seems like a bad plan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
March 10, 2021
This is a 3.5, which I think is mostly as it was quite short, and I usually read longer books where everything has time to develop and I get emotionally invested.
"He was very much like them, acting as if the current moment was the most important, not what would come beyond."
Having read and really enjoyed The Potential of Forgetting , I was really excited to get this ARC (thank you to A C Ward and Book Sirens for it!). As I've said, this book is shorter than what I usually read, with the plot happening over one day. Nevertheless, it was entertaining, with the plot moving along at a good pace. There were a lot of action scenes and the battles felt tense, you weren't fully sure who would survive and what injuries there would be.
The setting with the mysterious island and the God-like kami was fascinating. I particularly liked the rock kami and them liking being patted, but not touched for a long time. They seemed quite cute to me!
Masaru seemed a really interesting character, I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops in future books. I'm glad this is a series, as I know seeing characters develop I will get more invested, and probably give higher ratings. Shou is a fighter which I like! Makato...I don't know how I feel. He seemed too possessive of Shou, yet he did help her...
I would have liked more backstory to the characters, and explanation about the prophecy to help it all feel more real to me. Also the cursed line: "she let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding" was used.
Overall, I would recommend this as a quick read with interesting plot, that will keep you hooked throughout. I read it in one sitting!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"He was very much like them, acting as if the current moment was the most important, not what would come beyond."
Having read and really enjoyed The Potential of Forgetting , I was really excited to get this ARC (thank you to A C Ward and Book Sirens for it!). As I've said, this book is shorter than what I usually read, with the plot happening over one day. Nevertheless, it was entertaining, with the plot moving along at a good pace. There were a lot of action scenes and the battles felt tense, you weren't fully sure who would survive and what injuries there would be.
The setting with the mysterious island and the God-like kami was fascinating. I particularly liked the rock kami and them liking being patted, but not touched for a long time. They seemed quite cute to me!
Masaru seemed a really interesting character, I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops in future books. I'm glad this is a series, as I know seeing characters develop I will get more invested, and probably give higher ratings. Shou is a fighter which I like! Makato...I don't know how I feel. He seemed too possessive of Shou, yet he did help her...
I would have liked more backstory to the characters, and explanation about the prophecy to help it all feel more real to me. Also the cursed line: "she let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding" was used.
Overall, I would recommend this as a quick read with interesting plot, that will keep you hooked throughout. I read it in one sitting!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 15, 2021
4.5 stars!
This was so good! The Japanese background is delightful and nicely executed. It's a short book but despite that, Shou and Masaru were very interesting to read about and I'm very curious about Katashi and Yosuke. It's a fast paced, intriguing read and I can't wait for the 2nd book!
I received an early e-arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
This was so good! The Japanese background is delightful and nicely executed. It's a short book but despite that, Shou and Masaru were very interesting to read about and I'm very curious about Katashi and Yosuke. It's a fast paced, intriguing read and I can't wait for the 2nd book!
I received an early e-arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2021
Katana of Trust had an interesting premise. And the first few chapters showed amazing promise and potential. But unfortunately i ended up not liking this book.
The first setback was characters. They felt one dimensional and there really wasn’t character growth unless you consider the mc’s shift from hating women to not hating a certain woman which felt like a very dull plot point to bring about considering the way it was handled. With the plot, its just my preference, the entire book being that adventure which showed no build up or pay off felt boring to read about and due to the lack of character work, i wasn’t able to get emotionally invested in the characters either. I feel like the characters could have been given more depth and especially the way it started, the themes of misogyny could have been better established.
And the writing style was in my opinion not bad and i would have enjoyed it if the story was told well! On top of this the world building in some aspects were good and I appreciate the tiny tidbits of mythology AND THE TENGU!!
All in all it just boiled down to my own preference and some things the author could have done better, but perhaps other readers find this enjoyable, you’ll never know until you try!
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review via BookSirens!
The first setback was characters. They felt one dimensional and there really wasn’t character growth unless you consider the mc’s shift from hating women to not hating a certain woman which felt like a very dull plot point to bring about considering the way it was handled. With the plot, its just my preference, the entire book being that adventure which showed no build up or pay off felt boring to read about and due to the lack of character work, i wasn’t able to get emotionally invested in the characters either. I feel like the characters could have been given more depth and especially the way it started, the themes of misogyny could have been better established.
And the writing style was in my opinion not bad and i would have enjoyed it if the story was told well! On top of this the world building in some aspects were good and I appreciate the tiny tidbits of mythology AND THE TENGU!!
All in all it just boiled down to my own preference and some things the author could have done better, but perhaps other readers find this enjoyable, you’ll never know until you try!
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review via BookSirens!
June 16, 2021
Nice, short, quick read.
The story is inspired by old Japanese culture and mythology. The 'kami' and other magical beings and happenings were the main elements of the story, not just something in the background and I liked that a lot. The writing is easy to follow, simple but descriptive enough to easily picture everything. The story itself is also quite simple, linear, maybe even a tad predictable, but sprinkled with enough unique and interesting happenings in between to keep me reading.
I only wish that the characters, the world and plot had been developed more, had more depth as they felt a bit flat at times, but considering the length of the book and that it's the first in a series that's not a major problem. I also felt like some information and explanation were missing in some parts. That made it harder to understand true importance of the quest and characters' motivations sometimes.
Nonetheless this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
(I got an ARC of this book on BookSirens.)
The story is inspired by old Japanese culture and mythology. The 'kami' and other magical beings and happenings were the main elements of the story, not just something in the background and I liked that a lot. The writing is easy to follow, simple but descriptive enough to easily picture everything. The story itself is also quite simple, linear, maybe even a tad predictable, but sprinkled with enough unique and interesting happenings in between to keep me reading.
I only wish that the characters, the world and plot had been developed more, had more depth as they felt a bit flat at times, but considering the length of the book and that it's the first in a series that's not a major problem. I also felt like some information and explanation were missing in some parts. That made it harder to understand true importance of the quest and characters' motivations sometimes.
Nonetheless this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
(I got an ARC of this book on BookSirens.)
April 25, 2021
IS THIS A JOKE??? IT HAS TO BE A JOKE
STRONGLY not recommended for anyone who even knows a shred of real Japanese culture and/or history.
The first thing I REALLY wanted to ask is: Ms Ward, do you by chance watch Sengoku Basara?
Cuz like... the Sanada and Date standoff is a Basara thing, not Japanese history.
The bulk of the story takes place in some sort of weird Battle Royale-esque challenge in a mystic island, except that killing isn't required. Because everything just a brawl and a chase through forests, nothing about this particularly sounds Japanese. Other than the endless spiel about kami this kami that, and the names that are cribbed from real life samurai in history, this could darn well be just a generic fantasy novel and there'd be literally no difference. The daimyo manor scenes in the beginning and the end of the book are so bland that I can replace the terms with Western terminology (such as knights and whatnot) and nothing would change.
---
ETA: I feel like the rest of my review is just grievances about misuse of history/Japanese culture so I will put a TL;DR of my opinion on the book in general.
To summarize, the plot in itself is very unimpressive. There's this vague prophecy that isn't really explored, and the quest in the island is very confusing. I'm not even certain what exactly were they trying to get or find. It has something to do with the kami, and it sounded like it may be relevant to the prophecy, but the how and why of the whole competition/quest isn't at all clear to me.
The so-called "Japanese influence/inspiration" only amounts to throwing around the word kami ad nauseum, a couple of Japanese words, and the real-life samurai names. Everything else about the story could've just as easily be about European faeries as I used to read in Enid Blyton books.
The heavy borrowing of real world samurai becomes especially problematic because the rest of the plot is not just non-Japanese in tone, but also not really interesting. It literally embodies the famous quote: [The] manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good. The vaguely interesting parts are Masaru's backstory, which is not original. It's the real life of an actual existing person. The original parts about the magical elements are poorly crafted and dull. Shou, the heroine, seems more like a Deus Ex Machina for Masaru to gain upper hand in the island challenge. Her emotions and character seems flat.
---
The other heirs that Masaru allied with are one-note throwaway persons. If you don't intend to use them properly, then maybe don't name them? It's a waste of space, really. The only people who barely got characteristics are Hikaru, Yosuke, and Shinji. Even those are very cliche and flat. Yosuke is the honourable dork (LIKE EVERY SINGLE ITERATION OF YUKIMURA IN ANIME EVER). Hikaru is playful, but has this sinister vibe peeking out every now and then. Which... I only noticed because he's constantly described as having a "smile that does not reach his eyes". Otherwise he seems perfectly friendly, and Masaru's insistence to mistrust him sounds petty. Ishida is just some guy with beaked nose. Oda is barely described other than his grey eyes. Akechi is "very loyal to Oda". That's not interesting at all.
The suspicion and tension between the young heirs rings fake. If Ms Ward is trying to play with the real-life political maneouverings between clans of the Sengoku era, what we have in the book is a very very bad attempt at capturing it. A ragtag group of kids running around a forest chasing after God-knows-what does not have the same gravitas as entire provinces of people depending on their lord's decisions for survival. If I have to wait for the next book to see why this entire thing is so important, it's not good pacing or plotting. Could've just extended the book to allow us to see why any of this matters.
Katashi is okay, for what little he's shown. The Date parents are dull because they're just basic bland parents. Yoshime is a typical evil stepmum cliche, except she is a biological mum instead.
Honestly, I just read the whole damn thing with eyebrows raised because Masaru is a very poorly disguised Date Masamune. Like... May I ask why? I know Japanese authors did this. Heck, foreign authors did too, like James Clavell with Shogun. But he was trying to make a dramatized version of history. This is meant to be an original fantasy, not an alternate Sengoku period. Just dumping in famous samurai with the serial number barely filed off is not it, my dude.
Everything about Masaru is cribbed from Masamune. The eyepatch, although in this case it hides a birthmark and not an injury or a blind eye. A helmet adorned with a golden crescent. A loyal friend/vassal with a name that starts with K (Katashi is an obvious expy of Katakura Kojuurou). A mother who despised him and heavily dotes on his younger brother instead. Parents' and brother's name is barely modified. Date Terumune, Masamune's father, becomes Date Teremune. Yoshihime becomes Yoshime. Kojirou is left as-is. It really feels like the author wanted to write a Sengoku Basara self-insert/OC-insert fanfic, and then tried to package it as an original fiction while pretending everyone are supposed to be "inspired by the real historical counterparts".
Also, one more thing that makes me suspect Basara cribbing: The alignments. As I mentioned in my reading progress, per REAL history, the Toyotomi expy really should be friends with the Oda character. Oda Nobunaga is usually flanked by TWO loyal vassals, Toyotomi Hideyoshi AND Akechi Mitsuhide, and Ishida Mitsunari is famous for being the Toyotomi's loyallest minion forever. Oda only having Akechi as his "loyal dog", whilenot!Hideyoshi/not!Hideyori Toyotoma Hikaru is off doing his own thing is a Sengoku Basara trope.
I also mildly suspect Ms Ward is borrowing tropes from otome game. In a game called Samurai Love Ballad: Party, in Masamune's castle there's been rumours flying around that Masamune's eyepatch hides something evil. Mentions of a demon killing and/or eating people because his mother calls him one. I am not aware that this "demon" trope is present in other manga or anime, or in real history. However, the "feeding people to youkai in his eye" was mentioned in this book. That gave me a pause. Also, I would think that this a pretty uncommon trope. A lot of other stories would have the heroine become a personal maid of sorts, or a ninja bodyguard if they can fight. Not so much , though I would concede that I am not 100% sure about this. Ditto Kojirou being much younger thanMasamune Masaru, that was also an SLB: P thing. The real Date Kojirou Masamichi was only about one year younger than Masamune.
Besides, Masamune and Yukimura belongs to a younger generation than Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Mitsuhide. If this Oda is meant to be based on Nobunaga's son, there shouldn't be an Akechi hanging around him. Akechi Mitsuhide's surviving children under Toyotomi reign is hidden, for fear of persecution. Dumping random samurai across multiple generations into one place is something that happens a lot in brawl games, such as Samurai Warriors and the aforementioned Sengoku Basara, AND otome games.
Warlords aside, the generic Japanese culture made use here is very poorly researched. The author's bio saying that she is a big fan of manga, anime and JRPG is really not helping. Cool, you like Japan. Does it include a proper study of the culture and history? How much research DID you do to write this? Ten minutes of Wikipedia on the life of Date Masamune? Google Translate? Playing otome games?
There's a mention of a lavender scent. Lavender is not native to Japan, and even as an import product it didn't enter Japan until the 1800s. What time period is this supposed to be based on again? It's definitely not around in the time of Date Masamune.
The Japanese words are sometimes used improperly, and the names are way too modern. Shinji refers to Shou as "gomikuzu", which is something along the lines of "waste of space"/human trash. This is a modern term. It's out of place in a feudal setting. The glossary is wrong. This is gomikuzu: ゴミクズ. The glossary said クズ (this is just "kuzu"), which can mean a whole slew of other things, including food (kuzu/kuzu root is a common part of Japanese cooking).
"Amai" is used improperly. Calling someone "amai", in the sense of "naive", is not like how you might say "Hey, dumbass" in English. At best I've seen forms such as お前は甘い (You are "amai"). Or, just straight up yelling "Amai!!" at the person. Saying "Hey, amai" or the like is language misuse. Please try to consult native speakers, or someone properly fluent, when trying to use foreign words.
The names are super-modern, and not at all feudal-sounding. Yosuke, Masaru, Hikaru, Mitsu, Shinji... dear Lord in heaven, that's names of kids from the streets of Modern day Tokyo. You know what actually feudal names sound like? Sanemoto. Hideyori. Nobushige. Harukata. Motonari. Tadaoki. I can go on for eternity.
While the Japanese believes that kami inhabits most of nature, I highly doubt that this is how that works, but I will let it slide because I'm not sure either. I also am not entirely sure tengu counts as kami. What I WILL object on is the "kami king and queen". This is bad. Kami do not have king and queens like Greek pantheon. I know people's approach to myth is different, and I too am of the opinion that you can be rather whackadoodle with myths sometimes. This, though, feels like a Western intrusion into Japanese culture. Kami is not fae. If you want to write about fae courts like Julie Kagawa, this is not how you do it.
So, basically... this really should not be marketed as "set in feudal Japan". It maybe should have been something more like "set in a world inspired by feudal Japan". Because all things considered, this has the vibes of an amateur anime fanfic.
STRONGLY not recommended for anyone who even knows a shred of real Japanese culture and/or history.
The first thing I REALLY wanted to ask is: Ms Ward, do you by chance watch Sengoku Basara?
Cuz like... the Sanada and Date standoff is a Basara thing, not Japanese history.
The bulk of the story takes place in some sort of weird Battle Royale-esque challenge in a mystic island, except that killing isn't required. Because everything just a brawl and a chase through forests, nothing about this particularly sounds Japanese. Other than the endless spiel about kami this kami that, and the names that are cribbed from real life samurai in history, this could darn well be just a generic fantasy novel and there'd be literally no difference. The daimyo manor scenes in the beginning and the end of the book are so bland that I can replace the terms with Western terminology (such as knights and whatnot) and nothing would change.
---
ETA: I feel like the rest of my review is just grievances about misuse of history/Japanese culture so I will put a TL;DR of my opinion on the book in general.
To summarize, the plot in itself is very unimpressive. There's this vague prophecy that isn't really explored, and the quest in the island is very confusing. I'm not even certain what exactly were they trying to get or find. It has something to do with the kami, and it sounded like it may be relevant to the prophecy, but the how and why of the whole competition/quest isn't at all clear to me.
The so-called "Japanese influence/inspiration" only amounts to throwing around the word kami ad nauseum, a couple of Japanese words, and the real-life samurai names. Everything else about the story could've just as easily be about European faeries as I used to read in Enid Blyton books.
The heavy borrowing of real world samurai becomes especially problematic because the rest of the plot is not just non-Japanese in tone, but also not really interesting. It literally embodies the famous quote: [The] manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good. The vaguely interesting parts are Masaru's backstory, which is not original. It's the real life of an actual existing person. The original parts about the magical elements are poorly crafted and dull. Shou, the heroine, seems more like a Deus Ex Machina for Masaru to gain upper hand in the island challenge. Her emotions and character seems flat.
---
The other heirs that Masaru allied with are one-note throwaway persons. If you don't intend to use them properly, then maybe don't name them? It's a waste of space, really. The only people who barely got characteristics are Hikaru, Yosuke, and Shinji. Even those are very cliche and flat. Yosuke is the honourable dork (LIKE EVERY SINGLE ITERATION OF YUKIMURA IN ANIME EVER). Hikaru is playful, but has this sinister vibe peeking out every now and then. Which... I only noticed because he's constantly described as having a "smile that does not reach his eyes". Otherwise he seems perfectly friendly, and Masaru's insistence to mistrust him sounds petty. Ishida is just some guy with beaked nose. Oda is barely described other than his grey eyes. Akechi is "very loyal to Oda". That's not interesting at all.
The suspicion and tension between the young heirs rings fake. If Ms Ward is trying to play with the real-life political maneouverings between clans of the Sengoku era, what we have in the book is a very very bad attempt at capturing it. A ragtag group of kids running around a forest chasing after God-knows-what does not have the same gravitas as entire provinces of people depending on their lord's decisions for survival. If I have to wait for the next book to see why this entire thing is so important, it's not good pacing or plotting. Could've just extended the book to allow us to see why any of this matters.
Katashi is okay, for what little he's shown. The Date parents are dull because they're just basic bland parents. Yoshime is a typical evil stepmum cliche, except she is a biological mum instead.
Honestly, I just read the whole damn thing with eyebrows raised because Masaru is a very poorly disguised Date Masamune. Like... May I ask why? I know Japanese authors did this. Heck, foreign authors did too, like James Clavell with Shogun. But he was trying to make a dramatized version of history. This is meant to be an original fantasy, not an alternate Sengoku period. Just dumping in famous samurai with the serial number barely filed off is not it, my dude.
Everything about Masaru is cribbed from Masamune. The eyepatch, although in this case it hides a birthmark and not an injury or a blind eye. A helmet adorned with a golden crescent. A loyal friend/vassal with a name that starts with K (Katashi is an obvious expy of Katakura Kojuurou). A mother who despised him and heavily dotes on his younger brother instead. Parents' and brother's name is barely modified. Date Terumune, Masamune's father, becomes Date Teremune. Yoshihime becomes Yoshime. Kojirou is left as-is. It really feels like the author wanted to write a Sengoku Basara self-insert/OC-insert fanfic, and then tried to package it as an original fiction while pretending everyone are supposed to be "inspired by the real historical counterparts".
Also, one more thing that makes me suspect Basara cribbing: The alignments. As I mentioned in my reading progress, per REAL history, the Toyotomi expy really should be friends with the Oda character. Oda Nobunaga is usually flanked by TWO loyal vassals, Toyotomi Hideyoshi AND Akechi Mitsuhide, and Ishida Mitsunari is famous for being the Toyotomi's loyallest minion forever. Oda only having Akechi as his "loyal dog", while
I also mildly suspect Ms Ward is borrowing tropes from otome game. In a game called Samurai Love Ballad: Party, in Masamune's castle there's been rumours flying around that Masamune's eyepatch hides something evil. Mentions of a demon killing and/or eating people because his mother calls him one. I am not aware that this "demon" trope is present in other manga or anime, or in real history. However, the "feeding people to youkai in his eye" was mentioned in this book. That gave me a pause. Also, I would think that this a pretty uncommon trope. A lot of other stories would have the heroine become a personal maid of sorts, or a ninja bodyguard if they can fight. Not so much , though I would concede that I am not 100% sure about this. Ditto Kojirou being much younger than
Besides, Masamune and Yukimura belongs to a younger generation than Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Mitsuhide. If this Oda is meant to be based on Nobunaga's son, there shouldn't be an Akechi hanging around him. Akechi Mitsuhide's surviving children under Toyotomi reign is hidden, for fear of persecution. Dumping random samurai across multiple generations into one place is something that happens a lot in brawl games, such as Samurai Warriors and the aforementioned Sengoku Basara, AND otome games.
Warlords aside, the generic Japanese culture made use here is very poorly researched. The author's bio saying that she is a big fan of manga, anime and JRPG is really not helping. Cool, you like Japan. Does it include a proper study of the culture and history? How much research DID you do to write this? Ten minutes of Wikipedia on the life of Date Masamune? Google Translate? Playing otome games?
There's a mention of a lavender scent. Lavender is not native to Japan, and even as an import product it didn't enter Japan until the 1800s. What time period is this supposed to be based on again? It's definitely not around in the time of Date Masamune.
The Japanese words are sometimes used improperly, and the names are way too modern. Shinji refers to Shou as "gomikuzu", which is something along the lines of "waste of space"/human trash. This is a modern term. It's out of place in a feudal setting. The glossary is wrong. This is gomikuzu: ゴミクズ. The glossary said クズ (this is just "kuzu"), which can mean a whole slew of other things, including food (kuzu/kuzu root is a common part of Japanese cooking).
"Amai" is used improperly. Calling someone "amai", in the sense of "naive", is not like how you might say "Hey, dumbass" in English. At best I've seen forms such as お前は甘い (You are "amai"). Or, just straight up yelling "Amai!!" at the person. Saying "Hey, amai" or the like is language misuse. Please try to consult native speakers, or someone properly fluent, when trying to use foreign words.
The names are super-modern, and not at all feudal-sounding. Yosuke, Masaru, Hikaru, Mitsu, Shinji... dear Lord in heaven, that's names of kids from the streets of Modern day Tokyo. You know what actually feudal names sound like? Sanemoto. Hideyori. Nobushige. Harukata. Motonari. Tadaoki. I can go on for eternity.
While the Japanese believes that kami inhabits most of nature, I highly doubt that this is how that works, but I will let it slide because I'm not sure either. I also am not entirely sure tengu counts as kami. What I WILL object on is the "kami king and queen". This is bad. Kami do not have king and queens like Greek pantheon. I know people's approach to myth is different, and I too am of the opinion that you can be rather whackadoodle with myths sometimes. This, though, feels like a Western intrusion into Japanese culture. Kami is not fae. If you want to write about fae courts like Julie Kagawa, this is not how you do it.
So, basically... this really should not be marketed as "set in feudal Japan". It maybe should have been something more like "set in a world inspired by feudal Japan". Because all things considered, this has the vibes of an amateur anime fanfic.
February 19, 2021
The one that does not fight can never win
2.5
I don't really know how to make a synopsis about this books so without spoilers so: The main characters are Shou and Masaru.Japan.Kami.A tengu.Historical fiction.The end.
First of all,I really liked the writing.I could feel that the author loved writing every piece of it and loved crafting the entire world so we stan that.
My main issue is the relationship between the two main characters.The most part of the book takes place in a day(I think) and it seemed to me that they developed a friendship waaaayyyyy to fast than it takes,especially for Shou,a girl who has spent the most part of her life on an island surrounded by kami and away from humans.
Also,I didn't really like Masaru's thoughts towards women but from what I understood he has a reason behind these thoughts and it was normal for this time of period to think like that????I don't remember exactly but I have a feeling he'll turn into the greatest simp the world has ever knew
AAHH something else that i forgot:I would have preferred Shou wasn't for the most part a damsel in distress...because she grew up training and surviving on an island away from civilisation and and and and you'd think that she'd be a better fighter than the samurais but they are always there for her aid.Thankfully she stands up for herself towards the end and rejects Masaru's protection but it'd be nice to see her fight with her vines without someone (*coughs* Masaru) having her back or something.
Here's something irrelevant: For some reason,I imagined Shou as Mumei and Kurusu(plus an eye patch) from KIF
2.5
I don't really know how to make a synopsis about this books so without spoilers so: The main characters are Shou and Masaru.Japan.Kami.A tengu.Historical fiction.The end.
First of all,I really liked the writing.I could feel that the author loved writing every piece of it and loved crafting the entire world so we stan that.
My main issue is the relationship between the two main characters.The most part of the book takes place in a day(I think) and it seemed to me that they developed a friendship waaaayyyyy to fast than it takes,especially for Shou,a girl who has spent the most part of her life on an island surrounded by kami and away from humans.
Also,I didn't really like Masaru's thoughts towards women but from what I understood he has a reason behind these thoughts and it was normal for this time of period to think like that????I don't remember exactly but I have a feeling he'll turn into the greatest simp the world has ever knew
AAHH something else that i forgot:I would have preferred Shou wasn't for the most part a damsel in distress...because she grew up training and surviving on an island away from civilisation and and and and you'd think that she'd be a better fighter than the samurais but they are always there for her aid.Thankfully she stands up for herself towards the end and rejects Masaru's protection but it'd be nice to see her fight with her vines without someone (*coughs* Masaru) having her back or something.
Here's something irrelevant: For some reason,I imagined Shou as Mumei and Kurusu(plus an eye patch) from KIF
May 3, 2021
3 ⭐️
I received a copy of the books in this series from the author in exchange for an honest review 😊
I really like the premise of this series and I think the idea of the Kami as a whole is so good and super well developed!
I love the asian inspirations for the clans but I missed knowing more about the characters. I felt like I only truly knew two of them and even then not that much when I think having so many heirs of different clans would’ve been an amazing opportunity to go into their characters, their culture differences and just more world building!
I do think the book was a bit short but I might change my mind when I read the rest of the series.
Overall I did really enjoy the story :)
I received a copy of the books in this series from the author in exchange for an honest review 😊
I really like the premise of this series and I think the idea of the Kami as a whole is so good and super well developed!
I love the asian inspirations for the clans but I missed knowing more about the characters. I felt like I only truly knew two of them and even then not that much when I think having so many heirs of different clans would’ve been an amazing opportunity to go into their characters, their culture differences and just more world building!
I do think the book was a bit short but I might change my mind when I read the rest of the series.
Overall I did really enjoy the story :)
March 30, 2021
What an amazing ride! ⚔
This story grabs you from the start and man, what a start! Love the Japanese background and the spirit/fantasy island that appears every 10 years for a destined few. It's got action, unpredictability, 'the chosen one' concept, and survive at all costs. Worth the read! Enjoy 😉 On to the next! #HappyReading 💖
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story grabs you from the start and man, what a start! Love the Japanese background and the spirit/fantasy island that appears every 10 years for a destined few. It's got action, unpredictability, 'the chosen one' concept, and survive at all costs. Worth the read! Enjoy 😉 On to the next! #HappyReading 💖
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 10, 2021
This book was good, I enjoyed reading it.
I loved the Japanese Mythology in it and you can see the author did some researches on it.
The concept with the kami was really interesting.
My favorite character was Yusuke (why isn't he a main character 😢😢)
The book is short so if you are looking for a quick read that still keep you interested and invested in the story I would suggest this book.
I loved the Japanese Mythology in it and you can see the author did some researches on it.
The concept with the kami was really interesting.
My favorite character was Yusuke (why isn't he a main character 😢😢)
The book is short so if you are looking for a quick read that still keep you interested and invested in the story I would suggest this book.
February 23, 2021
I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I love all things samurai and this book had so much that I loved. This series intertwines Japanese folklore specifically kami into a world much like feudal Japan (one of my favorite time periods). This first book in the Kami Prophecy series follows two main characters Shou and Masaru. Shou has grown up on this mysterious island raised by the Kami with one goal to prove that she is part of the Kami's family by fulfilling a prophecy. Masaru is the oldest son of the Date clan who goes to Shou's island to fulfill the same prophecy she's after and return with the prize/glory. This quickly puts the pair at odds as both have reasons to be the chosen one of the prophecy. However, their good natures lend to a sudden friendship that help them stay alive on the island. This novel is full of precarious friendships and alliances, really cool kami, and a prophecy that isn't as straightforward as it sounds. (I love a good mysterious prophecy)
The only reason I can't give this full stars it the entire book happens over the span of one day. For me that makes the timing of things feel rushed. Especially the friendships that become vital to the character's survival. I wish there was a bit more tension with the limited time the characters have to succeed in their quests.
Overall, though this was a quick and very, very enjoyable read. I read it one day! I just couldn't put it down. I highly suggest it and am excited to see what happens next in The Kami Prophecy series.
I love all things samurai and this book had so much that I loved. This series intertwines Japanese folklore specifically kami into a world much like feudal Japan (one of my favorite time periods). This first book in the Kami Prophecy series follows two main characters Shou and Masaru. Shou has grown up on this mysterious island raised by the Kami with one goal to prove that she is part of the Kami's family by fulfilling a prophecy. Masaru is the oldest son of the Date clan who goes to Shou's island to fulfill the same prophecy she's after and return with the prize/glory. This quickly puts the pair at odds as both have reasons to be the chosen one of the prophecy. However, their good natures lend to a sudden friendship that help them stay alive on the island. This novel is full of precarious friendships and alliances, really cool kami, and a prophecy that isn't as straightforward as it sounds. (I love a good mysterious prophecy)
The only reason I can't give this full stars it the entire book happens over the span of one day. For me that makes the timing of things feel rushed. Especially the friendships that become vital to the character's survival. I wish there was a bit more tension with the limited time the characters have to succeed in their quests.
Overall, though this was a quick and very, very enjoyable read. I read it one day! I just couldn't put it down. I highly suggest it and am excited to see what happens next in The Kami Prophecy series.
May 23, 2021
Thanks to Booksirens and the author for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts*
So much lore and intrigue packed into a little fantasy novela! I truly enjoyed this novella more than I thought I would. Reading about the Kami and the other dieties was truly fascinating. I was impressed with how much story the author was able to pack in such a short story and the Japanese folklore throughout. Definitely looking forward to reading the next installment!
So much lore and intrigue packed into a little fantasy novela! I truly enjoyed this novella more than I thought I would. Reading about the Kami and the other dieties was truly fascinating. I was impressed with how much story the author was able to pack in such a short story and the Japanese folklore throughout. Definitely looking forward to reading the next installment!
May 5, 2021
I really liked it! Asian - inspired fantasy is one of my favourites. The beginning is a bit confusing, but later on the storytelling flows nicely. The characters are heavily reminiscent of Sengoku war lords (and the author does not even hide it, really). As I was playing a nice otome game with the same team, it was fun to read and play and the same time :) I like the kami mythology utilized here, and the slow build-up of relationships. All in all - I sincerely recommend this book.
I have received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I have received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2024
~ 3.25 stars
The setting was very unique and I was genuinely intrigued at the beginning, but as the story went on I just got confused🫣
The setting was very unique and I was genuinely intrigued at the beginning, but as the story went on I just got confused🫣
February 17, 2021
This is the first book I have ever read of A. C. Ward and I have to say, I was blown away by the excellent writing, gripping storyline and likeable characters.
The first in the Kami Prophecy series follows two characters who have the mark of the Kami: Shou and Masaru. When Masaru arrives on the Kami island, which only appears once every ten years, the two end up meeting and forming an alliance that helps both of them to survive. As the two develop a budding friendship, it becomes clear from the things they learn about the prophecy, and the things they are told by Shou's Kami friend Makoto, that everything is not as it seems.
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that A. C. Ward takes you on with the characters. Not only does she excel in descriptive writing that can transport you to this magical island, but she also does something that not all books with similar genres do. She made her main characters likeable. They were quietly strong having faced tough lives, but they were humble and accepting of each other. I enjoyed discovering the budding friendship between the two, and am eager to read the second book when it is released to find out what happens next.
This was a really gripping read, one that I actually found difficult to put down.
The first in the Kami Prophecy series follows two characters who have the mark of the Kami: Shou and Masaru. When Masaru arrives on the Kami island, which only appears once every ten years, the two end up meeting and forming an alliance that helps both of them to survive. As the two develop a budding friendship, it becomes clear from the things they learn about the prophecy, and the things they are told by Shou's Kami friend Makoto, that everything is not as it seems.
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that A. C. Ward takes you on with the characters. Not only does she excel in descriptive writing that can transport you to this magical island, but she also does something that not all books with similar genres do. She made her main characters likeable. They were quietly strong having faced tough lives, but they were humble and accepting of each other. I enjoyed discovering the budding friendship between the two, and am eager to read the second book when it is released to find out what happens next.
This was a really gripping read, one that I actually found difficult to put down.
February 16, 2021
“Katana of Trust” by A.C. Ward is the first instalment in her “The Kami Prophecy” series, a YA/NA epic historical fantasy with a medieval Japanese background, that blends romance with mythology and folklore, primordial dragons and kami (Japanese deities) into an original, interesting easy to read story.
The plot focuses on Shou, a human girl, who, following an ancient prophecy, has journeyed to the Island of the Kami, with the intention to proof her worth to the kami (deities). As enemies attack her, Masuru (the heir to the Date clan) saves her, putting all she has ever believed in, in perspective, to the point that she is not longer sure about her own role in the prophecy. Shou and Masuru join forces to find the truth behind the mark both bear and the meaning of the prophecy.
This is a well-crafted YA fantasy book, and a captivating new series, with multidimensional characters, a very interesting plot, a credible Japanese background, and a well-balanced mix of action and character development.
March 6, 2021
Katana of Trust is the first book in The Kami Chronicles. I picked this book as I really enjoy reading about Japanese history and culture, and as it’s a historical book I had to read it.
This book has lot of potential in it even from the beginning it was a really fascinating read. The writing is beautifully done and easy to get addicted, can make anyone hooked for the story. The book is centered around Shou and Masaru and their developing friendship in a historical Japan, filled with folklore and mythical elements.
The whole plot was exciting and keeps the reader busy with it. It’s a type of Young Adult historical fantasy book that’s hard to put down before finishing at once.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book has lot of potential in it even from the beginning it was a really fascinating read. The writing is beautifully done and easy to get addicted, can make anyone hooked for the story. The book is centered around Shou and Masaru and their developing friendship in a historical Japan, filled with folklore and mythical elements.
The whole plot was exciting and keeps the reader busy with it. It’s a type of Young Adult historical fantasy book that’s hard to put down before finishing at once.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2021
Isolated on an island without another human around for 10 years. Surrounded by only magical beings is her normal. Until the heirs show up to claim the magic for their clans.
I really enjoyed the diversity of the different clan heirs. A.C. was able portray different humans traits between all of them. The ‘magical’ island is a place where anything can happen. The world building is amazing and you never know what’s going to be on the next page. Wonderful story about perseverance and truly believing in yourself.
Thank you BookSirens for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the diversity of the different clan heirs. A.C. was able portray different humans traits between all of them. The ‘magical’ island is a place where anything can happen. The world building is amazing and you never know what’s going to be on the next page. Wonderful story about perseverance and truly believing in yourself.
Thank you BookSirens for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2021
Katana of Trust by A.C. Ward is most definitely a fantastic read! The Prologue will have you hooked instantly and you will have trouble putting it down. The storyline is exciting, interesting, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Once you start, it is hard to read 'just one more chapter'. It is an amazing story and I cannot wait for the sequel to be published for the continuation of the character's stories and the amazing world created within the novel!
March 16, 2021
This first book in The Kami Prophecy series brings you right into the heart of the action from the first page, and leads you through a maze of characters, exciting discoveries, and friends (and foes). Not everyone is what they seem, but who is truly what they appear to be?
This quick-paced read was an excellent escape, and I am excited to read more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book as an ARC prior to release.
This quick-paced read was an excellent escape, and I am excited to read more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book as an ARC prior to release.
April 8, 2021
3.5 stars
In Katana of Trust, Shou who lives among the kami and when heirs come to fulfill a prophecy, she must decide which path to take.
The setting of the book is inspired by feudal Japan, it's not that in depth in this first instalment so it's a good start even for those not that familiar with feudal Japan. It's a good foundation to explore the rest of world in the next books.
I like the concept. I liked the historical fiction and the supernatural aspects. I was hoping for a bit more on the characters, but I assume there will be more in the sequel given that the book is relatively short. Overall, a good start for the trilogy.
***I received a review copy from the author through BookSirens***
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
In Katana of Trust, Shou who lives among the kami and when heirs come to fulfill a prophecy, she must decide which path to take.
The setting of the book is inspired by feudal Japan, it's not that in depth in this first instalment so it's a good start even for those not that familiar with feudal Japan. It's a good foundation to explore the rest of world in the next books.
I like the concept. I liked the historical fiction and the supernatural aspects. I was hoping for a bit more on the characters, but I assume there will be more in the sequel given that the book is relatively short. Overall, a good start for the trilogy.
***I received a review copy from the author through BookSirens***
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
June 22, 2021
"𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒂𝒎𝒊."
Trigger warning as this book contains scenes with violence and death.
Thank you so much to BookSirens for providing me a digital copy of the book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Katana of Trust is the first book on the Kami Prophecy series. This follows the tale of two chosen ones, Shou and Masaru, who both have the mark of the Kami. Both seek the blessing and answers that is only found on the island that appears every ten years.
This is a fast paced book but I delight on the Japanese background that surrounds it. However this one is a really short read and it is more of an introduction to what can happen on the rest of the series. It is entertaining and the description if the world is both magical and cruel especially to Shou who had a terrible past on the island.
The plot of the story was excellent and I hardly put it down. It was a page turner but I somehow get lost with the names of the warriors and which clans they belong to.
I love all the characters. Both chosen ones accepted and embraced their flaws which actually strengthens them throughout the stories. I am really hoping for some more development on both Shou and Masaru. Makoto is someone that I will root too as well because of how mysterious and protecting he was with Shou despite being kami.
Overall it was a great read and I hope to see more of it in the coming books.
Trigger warning as this book contains scenes with violence and death.
Thank you so much to BookSirens for providing me a digital copy of the book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Katana of Trust is the first book on the Kami Prophecy series. This follows the tale of two chosen ones, Shou and Masaru, who both have the mark of the Kami. Both seek the blessing and answers that is only found on the island that appears every ten years.
This is a fast paced book but I delight on the Japanese background that surrounds it. However this one is a really short read and it is more of an introduction to what can happen on the rest of the series. It is entertaining and the description if the world is both magical and cruel especially to Shou who had a terrible past on the island.
The plot of the story was excellent and I hardly put it down. It was a page turner but I somehow get lost with the names of the warriors and which clans they belong to.
I love all the characters. Both chosen ones accepted and embraced their flaws which actually strengthens them throughout the stories. I am really hoping for some more development on both Shou and Masaru. Makoto is someone that I will root too as well because of how mysterious and protecting he was with Shou despite being kami.
Overall it was a great read and I hope to see more of it in the coming books.
March 17, 2021
I received the an ARC and fell in love with the series immediately! This world is gorgeous. No spoilers, but you will never see the ending coming.
I could not wait to preorder book two! And the short stories that you can get by subscribing to her newsletter are phenomenal!
I could not wait to preorder book two! And the short stories that you can get by subscribing to her newsletter are phenomenal!
March 28, 2021
this was a great start to a series, I enjoyed the world that was built and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I look forward to more from the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 6, 2021
Rating 4 ⭐️ I was lucky enough to win the Kindle copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. So happy that I won this one. The story starts off dropping the reader right into the action. From there it is a quick read that will keep you hooked. The world building was good for being the first in a series. There was a few parts that I would have liked just a wee bit more information on so that way I could fully understand the story. However, this did not stop me from enjoying this read. There is not much on this series on Goodreads surprisingly. But from what I read I would say this is definitely Young Adult, Fantasy and maybe even a bit of Historical Fiction. If you are looking for a good read not a lot of people know about then I highly recommend this one.
April 5, 2021
This was a moving tale with an interesting setting, a strong lead character, and an intriguing plot line. I really enjoyed reading it.
April 6, 2021
Fast-paced story, enjoyable writing style. If you want a quick, light, anime-inspired read and don't want to think about it too deeply, this is an engaging read. If you are looking for depth in your story, that is where this falls short. It is a shorter read so that is to be expected.
Ostensibly, this story was about a prophesy, 10 heirs racing to gain an advantage during a tiny window of opportunity, and the mysterious beings and forgotten daughter they find there. In truth only a few of the characters were more than names and the goal was never really that clear. Lots of conflict, and shifting alliances, and challenges - but it somehow felt hollow and pointless in the end. I didn't feel that much had been accomplished other than to set up the next book. Serious potential for some deep character growth and epiphanies but it fell flat.
If this story was set in Northern Europe, somewhere in the UK maybe, I think it would have worked really well as the mythological beings in the book seemed far more like capricious European fae than kami and I probably would have rounded up rather than down. It felt like Japanese trappings on a traditional European story and that ended up being distracting and taking away from what was actually a pretty entertaining story. The underlying cultural nuances were not there at all - not to mention a few egregious mistakes that seemed ripped out of anime that I'm sure others have commented on. The way the island only appears for one day every 10 years reminded me a bit of Brigadoon too. The set up felt forced and the times scales felt off. I understand the end result of characters the author wanted on the island together, and that worked for the story but the way they got there was weak.
This is the first book in what looks to be a trilogy and does contain a full story arc, but not quite the one I expected from the blurb. The ending is a set up for Book 2 but no major cliff hanger.
Ostensibly, this story was about a prophesy, 10 heirs racing to gain an advantage during a tiny window of opportunity, and the mysterious beings and forgotten daughter they find there. In truth only a few of the characters were more than names and the goal was never really that clear. Lots of conflict, and shifting alliances, and challenges - but it somehow felt hollow and pointless in the end. I didn't feel that much had been accomplished other than to set up the next book. Serious potential for some deep character growth and epiphanies but it fell flat.
If this story was set in Northern Europe, somewhere in the UK maybe, I think it would have worked really well as the mythological beings in the book seemed far more like capricious European fae than kami and I probably would have rounded up rather than down. It felt like Japanese trappings on a traditional European story and that ended up being distracting and taking away from what was actually a pretty entertaining story. The underlying cultural nuances were not there at all - not to mention a few egregious mistakes that seemed ripped out of anime that I'm sure others have commented on. The way the island only appears for one day every 10 years reminded me a bit of Brigadoon too. The set up felt forced and the times scales felt off. I understand the end result of characters the author wanted on the island together, and that worked for the story but the way they got there was weak.
This is the first book in what looks to be a trilogy and does contain a full story arc, but not quite the one I expected from the blurb. The ending is a set up for Book 2 but no major cliff hanger.
August 4, 2023
2.5
I swear I hated it
I swear I hated it
August 28, 2024
I liked it, it was a quick read but still had all the aspects to make the book very interesting
March 1, 2021
It is said that the Katana is the soul of the samurai. Masaru, the heir to the Date clan, carries his katana (his soul) to the island of Kami as he seeks to fulfill the prophesy and be recognized as the chosen one. Once on the island, which is only visible every 10 years, Masaru discovers he is not alone. Following a desperate departure from her homeland, Shou has been living on the island since it was last visible 10 years prior. Masaru rescues Shou from other samurai who have also arrived on the island seeking to fulfill the prophesy. Shou and Masaru become unlikely allies in their quest to stay alive and to solve the prophesy. They also seek to understand why both carry the same "mark" on their bodies. Along the way, Shou and Masaru find courage, recognize their friendship, and learn to accept help from one another. They must discover what it means to be "the chosen one" and whether or not the answers lie in their destinies.
March 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this story and wished it was longer. The characters felt real and drew you into the story. The setting was magic without be unbelievable. I loved the fact that the author did research into the region's mythology and gave a little glossary at the end of the book. A fun read.
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