City of Reckoning

Nerasia, Saga I #1

by Brianna da Silva

Two girls rebel against an empire as they seek revenge against the powerful people who have abused them.

Kindy Sharro is used to hiding. As a Nocturan, her bat wings, claws, and night vision place her under constant threat of hunters, who cruelly slaughter her kind for sport.

Lasía Mae’olo is a chieftain, with a loyal wolf that fights by her side. She plots rebellion against the Dorish people, who rule over her land with an iron fist.

When war arrives on both young women’s doorsteps, they each find the opportunity to take back their power and enact justice on their oppressors. But the road to victory brings difficult moral questions—and terrible costs.

Can Kindy and Lasía win their freedom, even if it means losing their souls?

City of Reckoning is the first part of a dark fantasy duology filled with complex characters coming of age, epic journeys, friendship, casual queer representation, and a bisexual subplot.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, LGBT

ebook

First published September 21, 2021

About the author

Brianna is a proud geek who loves real-life adventure just as much as the imaginary kind. With a bachelor’s degree in Digital Arts & Design from Full Sail University, Brianna keeps a busy schedule, divided between freelance graphic design, working on indie films, and of course, writing novels. When she’s not working, she spends her time devouring books, practicing Krav Maga, and hiking in the pine-covered mountains of Colorado.

Reviews

[Brianna Silva]

April 2024 Re-Read

Re-reading your own book 3 years later is... quite an experience. It's just enough time that I can look at it with completely fresh eyes.

I've certainly grown a lot as a writer since then, so I was worried I'd be cringing when I read it. But to my pleasant surprise, I found it still holds up to my standards.

I am super proud of this epic (and dare I say, emotionally devastating) story that a previous version of myself poured all her heart and soul into. And I am so pumped to finally write the sequel. The characters are alive in my head again and ready to go on their next and final adventure.

There is one major mistake I made with the release of this book, however, and that was to categorize it as adult fiction. Some reviewers criticized me here and said it should be upper YA. It seems potently obvious to me now that they were right. I'll be fixing that in future marketing efforts.

If you want to keep up with the progress of the sequel, The Blood Temple , and all my other projects, the best way is to subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

UPDATE: (September 21, 2021)

IT'S HERE!! My epic fantasy debut, City of Reckoning, is now available online (in paperback and ebook) wherever books are sold!

Amazon: http://mybook.to/cityofreckoning
All eBook stores: https://books2read.com/cityofreckoning

If you want to celebrate with me tonight, I'm doing an impromptu virtual launch party on Instagram Live at 8:30 p.m. EST. I'll do an FAQ and a reading, so be sure to bring your questions! Join me here: https://www.instagram.com/curious_sto...

UPDATE: (August 3, 2021)

I figure I should include this information here, for anyone who needs it: I have a list of content/trigger warnings for this book on my blog, plus a clarification on the recommended reading age. You can read all that information here.

UPDATE: (June 17, 2021)

I'm thrilled to announce that advanced reader copies are now available for this book! Get your copy via Bookspout here.

UPDATE: (April 7, 2021)

The COVER REVEAL for my debut novel is here!!! You can now pre-order City of Reckoning from Kindle, Apple Books, Nook, Kobo, or wherever you get your ebooks.

Pre-ordering is one of the best ways to support authors, so if you’re thinking about doing it, please do! It’ll help me so much! ❤️

(Note that pre-order is currently only available for ebooks, but print pre-orders will be coming soon!)

UPDATE: (September 12, 2020)

I just added a temporary cover for my dark fantasy novel (coming out next summer!), and updated the blurb. The actual cover reveal is planned for February 2021. Stay tuned until then 👀😉

UPDATE: (June 24, 2020)

The clock is clicking! We now have just under a YEAR before my queer, anti-empire fantasy book comes out! 😱

I recently sent the first half of my book to my line editor... although *sweats* I'm still working on revisions for the final section of the book. SOON. Soon I will be done rewriting it!! And then I'll be applying final tweaks after I get notes from my editor!

After that I just have some last-check, in-the-weeds sensitivity reads to do, a final copy edit, and it will be DONE.

I'm so excited! 😁 And I'll continue to keep you all updated with the book's progress. ☺️

First update (July 21, 2019)

I have a thrilling announcement to make:

My fantasy novel, CITY OF RECKONING, has an official release date! IT'S FOR REAL.

Why am I announcing this now, two entire years in advance? Because, as an indie author, I want to make my deadlines just as official and binding as if I had a publisher breathing down my neck. Social pressure is one great way to do this.

If you're wondering why the date is two entire years away, I worked out the revision/publishing schedule in this thread: https://twitter.com/Brianna_daSilva/s...

Only difference is I'm booking editors and designers now. This creates yet another level of immovability for these deadlines.

I'm honestly bursting with excitement over this. I'll keep you all updated as this writing adventure progresses! 😉

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Samantha Shannon, Robin Hobb and Brandon Sanderson - get ready for your new favorite book. This character-driven, badass-women-centric fantasy story hooked me straight from the beginning and didn't let up until the explosive (and I do mean explosive) end. There's a protagonist Nocturan named Kindy who has bat wings, night vision and claws (love this character). Touching friend and sibling relationships (I especially loved Kindy and brother Jensen's teasing, loving relationship - so real), lovely first romances (not the focus of the story but still, this author sure does know how to write a love scene ;), incredible locations (I'm entranced by the land where the city is built on giant stalactites and stalagmites) and cinematic action (including one of the best monsters I've read in fantasy - the horrific pelisius!!!). And there's a wolf character. And a giant battle. And a hook at the end that will have me getting off this computer in a bit and begging the author for the next ARC (it's a duology). Do not miss this book. My highest recommendation. Ten stars. #TeamKindy

[DR. Amanda Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, It is for me, difficult to critique any writer, I am a simple gay female egg head DR. no credential as a reviewer. Therefore I will say this about the masterpiece of thought, local, characters, science fiction, remarkable imagination and genius from the key board of Ms. da Silva. At first I was intimidated by the breath, length and scope of this first novel but it quickly grabbed me by the throat and never let me go. I will not go into characters, locals, story, so as not to ruin the reading experience of her readers. I am in awe by this rare and gifted female and what she created from what I am sure a focused, insane and imaginative creative mind that scares the hell out of me. I know when a writer faces a blank computer screen then dares to create something futuristic of plot, character, human and alien, eco systems so original my jaw dropped reading it, and what guts and courage Ms. Da Silva had daring to write a novel that is beyond description, well her courage exposing her heart and soul blows me away. 5 stars is enough for her 1st novel, REALLY her 1st and late at night I just read and read until I was exhausted living in her her surreal fantasy world that is a deep dive into a future that is terrifying, beautiful sweet, violent and just ground breaking in breath and scope. Give me more please, and thank you Brianna for being brave enough to expose you talent to all of us, I am in Awe TY Dr. Amanda.

[Ricky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, Brianna...how dare you.

No, but of course you dare.

It's been a long, long time since I was lucky enough to get an ARC anywhere. Most of those came from my time working at the Stanford Bookstore, and all of them were physical ARCs. So now, I've been lucky enough to get ahold of an ebook ARC of a sprawling, epic debut from one of my dearest friends, and I'm calling it right now - I don't expect any other book to beat this one on my Top Books of 2021 list. Maybe I'm not doing the Pinecone Awards so much on my blog anymore - I've rather let it fall by the wayside, sadly - but if I was to do the 2021 Pinecones, Brianna da Silva and City of Reckoning would steamroll all the competition.

What I'm really looking forward to most of all, though, is the day when we finally get to preorder this book in physical form instead of just ebook form, because it's going to be such a beauty to see all 700+ pages bound up in a vivid, fiery form - and bedecking all our bookcases, starting with my own, of course.

Till then, though...there's so much in this book to amaze you, and also to shock and disquiet you. Exploring a world where imperialist colonialist forces still hold sway and subjugate as many people as they can, whether they be ordinary humans from another nation or Nocturans with a variety of magics and wings among them, and casual racism, classism, ableism, and sexism are ingrained in all levels of society...and naturally, there's no easy solution, certainly not when our ensemble cast of protagonists gets embroiled in an increasingly fraught war. And not just a two-sided war either. Multiple colonized nations rising up, multiple empires vying for dominance...yeah, another reason I'll be thrilled to get a physical copy someday is to be able to refer to the map as readily as I can with any other good SFF novel.

But for sure, though, Brianna's hitting it out of the park with her debut, and it's not for the faint of heart by a long shot. All our protagonists suffer immensely and legendarily for their stories - especially Kindy, who's become addicted to the opium-like dathal pills that keep her from developing her Nocturan wings and becoming conspicuous among the other highborns of the Dorish empire. And Lasía, forced into the role of her tribe's chieftain at a tender age and, with it, having to develop strategic brilliance at a rapid pace. And Kastan, who thinks himself so less than because of his lower-class upbringing (not quite to the level of the outright enslaved in this universe, but still, he gets so much abuse, some of which counts as queer bashing as well...) And, of course, the various tangled romantic interests of Kindy's brother Jensen and their friends, siblings Carinna and Lukis. Right in the feels, some of their stories hit - especially for me as a bi boy, thanks to Brianna's casual inclusion of queerness throughout the narrative. (But especially Kastan, the bi-est bi boy who ever bi-ed since at least Eros in the sequels to Beyond the Red.)

While this is meant to be at least the start of a duology, this book also feels like a pretty complete story all on its own, even with the subtle hints of what will come next in the sequel. That said, though, there's a reason I opened my review in a similar fashion to the ones I've historically written for the likes of Pierce Brown, Victoria Aveyard, Jay Kristoff, or Ransom Riggs - because that ending will absolutely bloodydamn wreck you. No joke. My mistake finishing this book on my lunch break at work, am I right?

I'll close this one with a GIF of me waiting for Book 2:

[nastia · Rating 5 out of 5]

cw: violence, sexual assault, child abuse, racism/dehumanization, drug abuse, mild language and fantasy swearing ( for details check out the author's website )

i'm not sure how to start this review. i absolutely loved the book-

this is a story about young people having to fight in a war and ending up conflicted as to which side they should be fighting for. they are human and make mistakes and their actions feel so raw, we watch them battling with their emotions, their demons, literal monsters lurking around,, we watch them go on adventures into the unknown and friendships grow and fall apart. the stakes are high, especially when lasía desperately wants to fight for her people's freedom against their oppressors, kindy seeks to protect her family from a truly horrible man, kastan doesn't know what it means to be a free man, jensen feels as if he was meant to be a fighter and adventurer. how do we find justice? freedom? the themes in the story are taken from the real world and put into this fantasy world and they are so very real. the world-building is so rich and interesting and we haven't even explored everything yet,, i really liked the ending and the plot for the sequel seems incredibly thrilling to me. i can't wait to see these certain characters team up and go through hardships together. and i have to say i ADORED these characters!! a bi boy that's not the stereotyped flirty type but is actually shy and collected? a stubborn ruthless bat-winged girl that's suffering from addiction to a drug? a strong relentless fighter with a wolf companion who doesn't hesitate to make her hands a little dirty?

the book is huge- i have to admit i wasn't sure i would end up liking it till the very end, but oh i VERY MUCH did. after 200 pages i think it was a bit slow or maybe stable i guess? not much was happening but after a while, the second half of the book was so gripping! i was filled with emotions through and through and the writing was very good too!

oh and did i mention there are queer characters?

( received a free arc through booksirens, thank you! i am leaving this review voluntarily! )

[Banshee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This epic fantasy novel was without a doubt an ambitious project and I admire the author for putting so much effort into crafting a multi POV story set within a frame of a complex world-building and for managing to incorporate some important and heavy issues at the same time.

The world-building was definitely my favourite part of the book. What we got was an elaborate political system with societies varying a lot based on their approach to different cultural matters. The political units were tangled in a system that was really interesting to explore as the reader got the opportunity to learn more about the history, the present circumstances and different visions for the future.

The writing style was really good for a debut and I expect it will get more polished in the subsequent novels. I can definitely see the potential in the author.

Despite this good premise, I ended up not really enjoying myself while reading the novel. There were some minor things like awkward transitions or the setting which, at the end of the day, wasn't very original. What didn't work for me at all, however, were the characters. All the characters being very young is one thing, and the book featuring them can still feel adult. In this case, though, I felt like they weren't mature enough. Way too much page space was used for describing them pining after each other. Sometimes it seemed to me like I was reading a YA novel about teenagers having crushes rather than an adult fantasy novel. Since I ended up not being invested in their stories, it was difficult to care about how the overall plot progressed.

This is, however, a personal preference and I believe that this novel will suit the taste of many people.

*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sloane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just say before I begin, that I try to rate a simple did I like it scale. I’m not a professional writer or reviewer, I just like to read. So with that in mind I would have given City of Reckoning probably a 3 But I couldn’t bring myself to do that since there is nothing wrong with it. There were just several things I don’t like on a personal style level. So I’ll lay those out. If you don’t see any of what I list as a problem for you, then go for it. You will probably enjoy it.

First I’ve dislike a story with constantly shifting points of view. It is one thing in a romance novel where it is sort of expected, but in a book with action and adventure, not my thing. I just get into a certain part of a story and then it is off to somewhere else. It always just makes me feel like part of the story is in the way.

Second I really dislike the ending. It was enough as it was without throwing in a hook for book 2. Again a personal problem. I like an end. Not what I like to call a Netflix end. One set of issue resolved just to introduce a whole new one right at the end trying to get you to watch one more episode.

And finally I’m not a big fan of there is no black and white, everything is a shade of grey. Although I’m not sure that is true. Here the bad guys are bad and the good guys are grey. Although on this point it seems like by the end of the book most of the main characters have grown from the beginning frightened hero stage, to the grown up hero stage. So I would be interested to see how some of them progress in book two.

Again as I said at the start these are style choices I don’t enjoy. If these things are not things that turn you off, I would certainly say give City of Reckoning a chance. You will probably enjoy it.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's my BookTube review of Brianna Da Silva's debut epic fantasy novel, City of Reckoning!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTnOQ...

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing a debut novel this good ought to be illegal. It's just not fair to other writers whose own efforts are now almost guaranteed to fail to live up to the unreasonably high expectations with which I'll go into them.

Seriously: This was all kinds of awesome.

This is how you do worldbuilding - complex, memorable, incorporating unique elements, with details and backstory woven organically into the fabric of the novel instead of vomited all over the reader in massive infodumps.

The cast of characters, too, is complex and memorable. Love 'em or hate 'em - or at times a little bit of both, because they're realistically flawed and don't fit into that kind of black and white, good vs. evil framework too often employed by lazy writers that tends to bore me to death - either way, it's impossible to feel indifferent about them.

As for the plot, it had me hooked from the start and never let go. This is a long, long book, but it never loses momentum and there wasn't a single time I felt even the slightest bit bored. There's a lot going on, plenty of action, plenty of conflict, plenty of emotion, all well balanced against each other. The different POVs are expertly handled, and I felt equally invested in each one.

To sum it up: An amazing read all around - can't wait for the sequel!

*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Aimee Jodoin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brianna Da Silva's debut novel City of Reckoning is an amazing epic with fully realized, lovable (and hateable) characters living in an impressively vast and immersive fantasy world. This book is packed with fascinating concepts and tropes used in out-of-the-box ways: an imperialist government force that seeks to use folks it historically oppressed---Nocturans---to fight in a war against other Nocturans, among others; genetic aberrants, among them Kindy, a girl with claws and bat-like wings, who live in hiding for fear of government persecution; a very stabby young heroine, Lasia, with a cute relationship with her pet/bonded wolf; somehow TWO incredible, believable love triangles; and a long and winding---to-be-continued---hero's journey with a strong emotional pull. The bi representation here is lovely, and the book does not shy away from diving into tough subjects (slavery, trauma, etc.) with a gentle, empathetic touch. This is a fantasy debut that will have you at the edge of your seat trying to read all 700+ pages in one sitting. Recommended for dark fantasy fans and monster fans alike! Its character-driven plot will intrigue even those who are new to the fantasy genre. Be prepared to be feel all your feelings, in the best way.

[readerofbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for this book, and oh my goodness. This story is sprawling and immersive, in the sense that you feel like you're getting a glimpse into a world that already exists, and not just a world created for a book. The worldbuilding is seriously amazing, and the characters? Well. They're queer and messy and of the sort to walk away with a piece of your heart.

Some of my favorite things, in no particular order:
- the best-est wolf to ever live, what a good wolf
- a freaking terrifying [redacted for spoiler reasons]
- the FRIENDSHIPS
- the journeys across super cool landscapes - I'm a sucker for a good adventure into the unknown

I can't wait to read the final version of this book (because yes, I absolutely plan to re-read this), and I REALLY, REALLY can't wait to read Book 2.

[Ngoni Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this book raised the bar quite high when it comes to fantasy books. This story has got a lot going on at the same time. It also has original creatures and places which makes it quite incredible.

Lasia is just so awesome, faced with difficult choices in a tight situation. That makes her awesome.

It's quite long too, you get a satisfying read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[W B · Rating 4 out of 5]

there is not a wlw romance here if you read the blurb and got excited
but maybe there will be in the sequel? it's sorta set up maybe

[Diego López · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do you start when something is amazing?

At the nitpicking of course and what about that? Well the book is a little too big and unwieldy...

Now to the really important stuff.

The story is enticing and perfectly paced and there are very few moments when you start to feel tired or annoyed by the development of the story because of the masterful transition between the different stages of the plot and how the characters face their different challenges.

The characters themselves are alive and deep and perfectly layered so when you think you know them or can predict them, you better be ready for a pleasant surprise. Each of them are loyal to themselves to the end and never fail to impress., Kindy takes you through hell and back again and Carinna shows you how compassion and determination works. Kastan is an example of resilience and how difficult is to learn to trust others, Lukis shows you how love can heal anything, Jensen is a adventurous hero whose fiercest quality is loyalty and Lasia (my favorite) is an example of how difficult to balance are responsibility and leadership for a compassionate and beautiful soul.

Every conflict finds resolution, every thread is explored to the deepest and all of them are done with a perfect catering between your own pain as a reader and the cathartic process of the characters. The book shows you how destructive and deterring are hate and revenge and how they can twist love and compassion into the darkest and most cruel of all scenarios and as a mirror, you will find yourself justifying and supporting every choice of the characters until you find out how high is the cost of revenge.

But the highlight of the book, beyond the masterful writing and storytelling is the approach to the very complex and present social problems through a human and anecdotal storytelling, capable of translating feelings and experiences that all of us need to understand today. And to incorporate them smoothly and organically on the development of the plot is a sign of Brianna's expertise as a writer and storyteller and of course of her love for Nerasia, her own and fascinating world.

So, if you love dark fantasy, the perfect balance between action, romance, intrigue and character development don't think twice, this is the book for you.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re reading this, congratulations, you’re well on your way to picking up City of Reckoning, a decision that a thoughtful, engaging, and, dare I say, strikingly good-looking reader such as yourself will count among the best you’ve made this year. Your good taste is to be applauded and rewarded with an eloquently worded, gripping tale of adversity, internal struggles, and perseverance; and the book’s not bad either!

Doubtlessly, someone with your refined literary palate will appreciate the academic immersion that comes from discovering a thoroughly realized world, populated with diverse and complete cultures, each with their own mythology, class systems, and views on gender dynamics. Half of the conflict in this story arises from the clash between kingdoms, the other half from the characters’ struggles against these cultures, and the third half from interpersonal friction. As a sharp-minded reader like you will have observed, this elementary math indicates that City of Reckoning is packed with quite a bit of dynamic and layered conflict.

“But wait,” I hear you cry, “excellent world-building on its own is not enough to sustain a novel, particularly one of this length!” You’re quite right, and I’d even note that your good judgement is matched only by your personal charisma. Yes, while Nerasia is a solid canvas, the beauty of this story comes from the characters. Each is their own person, their flaws, motivations, and feelings providing the driving force for this story. These characters make mistakes, they struggle against adversity inside and out, and through it all they grow in this compelling bildungsroman.

Now, all this is well and good, but someone as discerning as you will still feel the nagging of a yet-unanswered question: will I like this story? First, let me mention that it’s quite prudent of you not to be swayed by simple flattery, after all, someone with your strong-minded personality is clearly capable of making decisions for themselves. So, will you like City of Reckoning?

If you enjoy epic worlds with fantastical races and awe-inspiring creatures; if you empathize with adolescent awkwardness and a young person trying to make their way in an unforgiving world; if you cheer those seeking justice against overwhelming odds, or if you wonder what justice means; if you appreciate the journey for its struggles and the growth it cultivates, then yes, you’ll enjoy City of Reckoning.

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

[Kosh Gott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly-imagined and well-developed fantasy, taking place in a fictional land that is preindustrial. There six young adults who are at various social levels in an elitist, highly-bigoted, plutocracy on the brink of war. As these six characters are yanked into the unfolding events, they are affected in different ways. I was very impressed with the way that trauma psychologically affects people is accurately depicted. As a person with PTSD, I particularly appreciate that the author didn’t fall on stereotypes of this disorder and others that trauma can produce. Instead, there are very realistic and diverse depictions.

While there are both het-cis and LGBT+ characters, this is NOT a romance. The small amount of sexual content is NOT erotic in nature, but rather brief references to both positive and negative romantic and/or sexual experiences young adults are likely to experience.

This brings me to why I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5: Given the complexity of the story, I understand the author’s choice to have six such characters; however, I feel the story would have been stronger had there been fewer viewpoint characters, especially in the first 10% of the novel. Also, I feel there there were too much characterization, plot, and world-building for a single novel, albeit a long one, to properly handle. This should have been 2½ novels.

Overall, I am a big fan of this book and its fantasy world.

I received a free ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The version I read was before final proofreading and editing. Thus, there were occasional minor errors that it is my understanding will have been corrected in the retail version.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first encountered this book it sounded like a bit of a fever dream. The confusion of the synopsis really doesn’t do justice to what City of Reckoning actually is; and that is a flat out, old school, immersive fantasy epic with meticulous world building that plays with themes of war, classism, and post colonial theory. All that to say that this book was a lot more than I expected it to be.
Addressing what I liked about the novel first. I appreciate how in-depth and well thought out the world was. City of Reckoning honestly feels like a book where the worldbuilding came first, and then the characters and plot were decided later. Similar to how George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien developed their respective fantasy series. This style bodes well considering that City of Reckoning is to be the first in a series of its own. I also liked the dual perspective. However, I do wish that there had been more of a back and forth. As it is, you basically have large chunks of narrative following either Kindy or Lasia, and then it would switch to the other abruptly.
Other than that, the only sort of hiccup I came across was the pacing in the beginning. This novel is close to 700 pages, so one wouldn’t expect it to be as front loaded as it is. The information and background dumps in the beginning feel dogpiled, and because the novel is so long it makes it very hard to retain any of that information as the story progresses. There were times I had to backtrack and reread in order to understand later events and conversations, which was a little annoying.
As an introduction to a new series, I think that this novel works really well. It is immersive and interesting, with complex characters and a rich world that I want to see more of. Naturally I would recommend it, but probably only to fans of large scale fantasy sagas.

[Ashley Reading Stewardess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Briana Da Silvia’s epic fantasy blew me away! While the synopsis drew me in, the actual book was more than I could’ve ever imagined or hoped for. I loved the story not only for the wonderful descriptors but also for the deeper topics which were woven throughout, those of racism, classism, sexism and so much more. This is definitely a character driven story which I loved as the characters were all strong, well crafted and fully fleshed out.

While this is a long book, it is more than worth the read and should be savored. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

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

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. A lovely coming of age novel of finding a sense of purpose and self-worth, battling inner demons and human cruelty and holding on to hope. A story of acceptance and understanding of oneself and others, especially their weaknesses, and the difficulty of forgiving both. A long, slow brew providing more time to enjoy the characters. I wouldn’t say there’s romance in it but a very real and sometimes messy working through of feelings, touching and a little heart wrenching.

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

[Ron da Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing epic fantasy with lovable characters, action and adventure that will have you wanting to read just one more chapter. Highly recommended entertaining and captivating read. A week later, I'm missing the characters who are easy to fall in love with.. I want to know how they are doing and what they are up to next. When is book #2??

[a duck · Rating 2 out of 5]

review coming soon!

[Lucy A. McLaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phew, what an epic book that was! Brianna has created a fantasy world filled with lavish settings, interesting politics and a rich history.

I will say it took me a little while to warm to some of the characters. Jensen in particular came across as a little annoying at first, though as the story went on I found myself understanding his motivations more and enjoying his blooming relationships with those around him. Kindy’s struggles with addiction were, in my opinion, highly accurate and made for a convincing character arc. I would have liked to see more interaction with main “bad guy” Charris at the beginning of the story, as I found his motivations hard to understand at times. Lasia and Akiro were great to follow and I enjoyed her character arc a lot, going from unsure in her skills as a leader to… well, I’ll let you find out!!

By the end I was rooting for Kindy and felt swept up in the final few chapters as things came to a head. I’m really looking forward to seeing where these characters go next.

I would place this more towards the upper YA rather than adult, purely because of how the character voices came across (ie they are all teenagers and thought/acted as such). Overall, this book was enjoyable and I’d recommend it to any fan of fantasy!

[Douglas Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

City of Reckoning is a big book that absolutely delivers. This is a story about multiple characters who are coming of age in a dark and brutal world. It's the story about the fall of an empire, the morality of revenge, the ethics of war, and the fragile vitality of friendships. The novel is epic in its scope with an effortless abundance of worldbuilding. Every chapter is important. Each character experiences a satisfying arc. The LGBT themes are handled authentically with storytelling as the prime focus across all story spectrums. City of Reckoning is that diamond in the rough you're probably looking for.

Perhaps the size of the book scares people away, but give this one a try...readers are in great hands here. The author has a distinct skill in delivering a rich & mythical world that's experienced through intimate & compelling characters.

I'll be looking for more from this author...! Highly recommended...!!

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page-turner for sure, with an intricate plot structure and a poetic command of imagery.