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Chronicle of Fanhalen #1

A Curse of Blood and Power

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Engulfed in darkness, she will stumble upon her own.

On Fanhalen, world-walking was once a coveted gift wielded only by the Castellain line. But their line is long gone, and since the sudden disappearance of magic at the beginning of the Shadow War, it is only a whispered memory.

In Mahena’s world, twenty-first century Earth, magic doesn’t exist. But when she awakens in another realm, it rapidly becomes clear that whatever magical fragments remain, they react to her. Plagued by dreams and visions of a past she doesn’t remember, and a cruel voice at the back of her head that isn’t hers, she has no choice but to place her trust in the two secretive, mysterious twins who took her in.

With a death warrant on her head, Emmerentia has been in hiding, with the help of her twin, Fàaran, since the war began. When she learns that a part of her memory might have been stolen from her, she decides to come out of the shadows in search of answers. With a complicated past and twisted emotions, the twins’ unwavering loyalty will be put to the test in the face of this new threat.

To find the answer to the mist surrounding Mahena’s true identity, they all must travel to the Scholar-Kingdom, where the last spell cast still holds and the world’s most coveted collection of knowledge resides. But through a land ravaged by spreading Shadows, will they find their way through the dark?

445 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2021

42 people are currently reading
1162 people want to read

About the author

Viviene Noel

8 books24 followers
Viviene Noel is the Belgian author of the epic fantasy series A Curse of Blood and Power.

A lifetime of avid reading and an unbound imagination have fuelled her passion for storytelling from a young age. A Curse of Blood and Power was born from a distant dream, and years of world-building, storylines and character development made it into a reality. She is also a passionate traveler, which is a big inspiration in the creation of new worlds.

In her spare time from writing, Viviene enjoys collecting daggers, dancing, and climbing.
And always, always listening to villains playlists.

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5 stars
15 (23%)
4 stars
25 (39%)
3 stars
16 (25%)
2 stars
6 (9%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Gabrielle Perna.
183 reviews6 followers
July 15, 2021
Thank you to Viviene for this ARC! I signed up for it without reading the summary because I hate reading summaries, but needless to say this book was going at a rate of 3 stars for me and then about 60% in I was hooked all of the sudden. I couldn't stop thinking about it stayed up until 3 am one night reading it.

Going into this book it was built as a story that the author leaves you tiny bread crumbs to piece together for the mystery or in her case mysteries she was laying out for you. At first I was like this is so so confusing someone help but as I kept reading, because I have a sickness where it is physically impossible for me to dnf a book, I was scrambling to create conspiracy theories to figure out the mysteries. Because of the way this book is laid out you cannot speed read this, where books usually take me 1-2 days I read this slower so I could take in all the details and clues, I think it made the book more enjoyable because I could really absorb the story.

There was no spice for those who will ask but the love stories and the sexual energy was very well placed, the options for a partner for the main characters is one of the most intrigue parts to me. There was also LGBTQ+ representation in here which I loved!

I hardly found any grammar issues but did find that sometimes the author did not put the name of the characters and I was confused what she the author was referring to but besides that I felt that the editing was great. I will say one thing this book was the most beautifully written and her allusions to dealing with your inner darkness and demons was so so BEAUTIFUL, I highlighted so much on my kindle. I was confused for the first half if the book but what kept me going was emmerentia and mahena's connection and the author's beautiful writing.

I feel that this story could go in so many different directions with all the different characters that were in it and all the questions I have left that need to be answered. But I am not sitting here angry about my unanswered questions it just made me interested and excited for the next book. This is the kind of series you need book two ready for you because you are dying for the answers to your questions. It has been awhile since I have enjoyed a high fantasy book without any romance, if I can enjoy the story and don't need any romance to fluff it up sometimes I know it was good!

4/5 stars for me! Bravo I will be patiently/impatiently awaiting book two!
Profile Image for Lucy.
23 reviews2 followers
August 28, 2021
Update: I have finished it now. 3.5/5 stars.
I have not finished this yet, I am 50% through but I figured I would write a review so far as I've been taking a break from the ebook/arc to help my eyesight/spend less time on screens. The start was a bit confusing but I feel like if I owned the physical copy and were annotating it, like I do with some other books of mine, I would not feel that confusion, at least not to the same level. At about 25% of the way through, the book started picking up pace and I began seeing some of the themes this book is mentioned to have. Now being 50% through, the book is getting really good, I'm really loving it. I think I've worked out where the LGBTQIA+ relationship/theme/mention is. The story is really beginning to take shape now, and the confusion with the storyline/plot/characters in the beginning is much less present as links are being formed and it is all starting to make sense. I'm quite enjoying it now and I look forward to reading the other half of this book.
Final 50%:
I enjoyed the second half more than the first half. It hooked me in more and I couldn't stop reading once I reached 60%.
Profile Image for Thais • tata.lifepages •.
632 reviews1,060 followers
April 20, 2025
If you have been searching for a fantasy romance with a lush worldbuilding and strong plot, definitely check out this multi-POV portal fantasy with a diverse cast of characters!❤️

Emmerentia lives in hiding with her twin brother, Fàaran, under a death warrant placed on her head. While Mahena, a world-walker born on Earth in the 21st century, falls into their parallel world. Suffering from memory loss, she has no idea why she is there. Fortunately, she is rescued by the twins.
Mahena experiences dreams that tell her stories of another life—memories she doesn’t recognize but somehow feels are her own. The kingdom where Mahena lands is battling a terrible war against the Shadows, a race from another Realm that is killing all who refuse to bow to them. Once a land full of magic, it has now lost much of its power and is ravaged by war.

I found the tension between the three main characters intriguing. Although the twins rescue Mahena, she cannot fully explain her origins from another dimension, raising their suspicions. Yet, despite their doubts, they feel a strong pull toward her. The only way to find the answers they seek—and to break the memory loss spell cast upon Mahena—lies in the Library of Vassalis.
Together, they must journey to the Scholar Kingdom, a trip filled with secrets and revelations about their past.

The book features a wide range of characters and is told from multiple points of view. At times, I found it a bit challenging to follow, but it becomes clear that all the characters are connected through a complex and rich fantasy plot. All signs point to Mahena being linked to a royal lineage of world-walkers that had long disappeared. This twist made the story even more captivating for me, as I love the “common-person-turned-royalty” trope.


Profile Image for Lily 🎀.
36 reviews7 followers
August 4, 2021
First of all, I just wanted to say thank you to Viviene for this ARC! I read the summary and fell in love with the concept of the book. It’s safe to say that the book exceeded my expectations and the author pulled off the concept beautifully.

It left me speechless and wanting more. I need the 2nd book in this series! This was an easy 5 star read for me. I adored Mahena and Emmerentia! I think they were strong characters and I especially loved Mahena’s personality and humour. There was lots of deep world building in this book which I loved! Viviene is definitely an amazing writer as shown by the beautiful description in this book.

If you like found family, magical worlds, adventures/ journeys, multiple POVs or just epic fantasy in general then you should definitely read this book!
Profile Image for Anisha.
18 reviews6 followers
July 12, 2021
"So the twin slid into her midnight voice - a subtle veil of mystery, of sensuality, embracing her words."

I would like to say a big thank you to Viviene Noel for sending me an ARC of this book!

MILD SPOILERS

I feel like I should start this review off by saying that whilst this book didn't hit the mark for me, I know it will for some of you hardcore fantasy lovers out there!

Although I have been a lover of fantasy TV shows and movies for years, I am new to the world of reading fantasy books and I think that is a large reason as to why I found this book a bit difficult. The character names, place names and plot turned my brain into scrambled eggs at times.

The main issue I had was that the book is quite long, but I didn't feel like I found out much information (so lots of effort, with minimal reward) and by the time I got to the ending, I was frustrated at how many questions had been left unanswered. I understand that this is the first book in a series so naturally there will be plot points that are being saved for later books, but the level of mystery surrounding everything from the characters to the plot means that I will be very surprised if I pick the next book up, because I feel a bit exhausted with it all...

HOWEVER

It cannot go unsaid that Viviene is an absolutely brilliant writer, and this book has some of the most beautiful descriptive language I have had the pleasure of reading in a long while. Here are some of my favourite lines:

"She clenched her fist into the fabric over her breast, as though she could grip through skin and bone and hold the pieces together."

"The vile taste of her tone lingered on the tip of her tongue."

"His eyes bore into hers with the strength of a tsunami, destroying all she knew, enclosing her mind solely in the space that existed around them. They were a story, a myth, a promise she wanted, needed, to explore."

When it comes to the characters, there were a few that I did really enjoy getting to know. Nepherym was a wonderfully interesting character that I felt like I didn't get to know as much as I wanted to. She seems like a badass that is keen to break the cycle of those that came before her, and I love this line:

"As opposed to my parents who refused to acknowledge the existence of the outside world, I intend to rid this continent of the plague sweeping through it."

I struggled with Mahena and Emmerentia at times (that name drove me insane after the first few chapters as this book is written in the third person and it's such a long name) but I really loved the Moon Market scene, and I feel like we learnt a lot about them both then.

Overall, I don't see myself picking this book up again and I'm not sure whether I will read the other books in the series, but I know others will give this five stars because after all, we all have different taste! If you read this, let me know what you think! I would love to have a chat.


Profile Image for Maria Elena | pagesofmaria.
784 reviews235 followers
April 13, 2025
There are moments you’re in the mood for a layered Fantasy, and this book fits the category well.

A Curse of Blood and Power is a 5 book Epic Romantic Fantasy series. Book 1, which gives the title to the series, is a book rich with worldbuilding, magic, secrets and intriguing characters.

The world of this book is vast and it’s at war, and the book starts off in with a powerful scene that introduces us briefly to a cast of intriguing characters that have a role to play in the events to come, but that most importantly have played a role in the events of the past. Events that, for the most part, remain a mystery in this first book. My favorites among these characters, and admittedly the ones you see the most apart from the protagonist, are the twins Emmerentia and Fàaran, who are in hiding since Emmerentia has a bounty on her head.

Somehow all of this also involves Mahena, a girl from our world but that somehow is tied to this one, and who seems to have a past here that neither she nor anyone else remembers. Not only that, but she has skills she has no knowledge of ever having, and a voice in her head that is often malicious. We do begin to learn some things as Mahena and the twins travel in search of answers, but there’s still a lot of questions and we are far from the truth. I do wish we’d know more about Mahena’s life on Earth, to know a bit more of her as a character at least in that.

The pace of the book is on the slower side, and it allows us to have information about the world and to see what is happening throughout multiple POVs. Admittedly, there were a few instances where I had a hard time understanding who we were seeing and why, but with patience you’ll see how everything ties together. For some, the answers won’t be in this book.

Here are some tropes!
❤️‍🔥 slow burn wlw romance
🧠 one of the main characters hears a voice in her head
📖 a strong plot with romance subplot
📖 multiple storylines
🩶 morally gray characters
🔥 FEMALE RAGE
❤️‍🔥 forbidden romance
🫂 found family but also twins!

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Caitlan 🌺.
205 reviews17 followers
July 12, 2021
Review in 10-ish words: Epic high fantasy, medium paced plot with lovable characters. 4/5.

Synopsis:

A curse of blood and power is a story about battles- more interestingly, the ones we fight with ourselves. When Mahena is suddenly thrown from 21st century Earth and into the land of Fanhalen, where world walking and other magic are things of the past she must assume every one is an enemy.

It’s a dangerous time to be from another world, let alone another time.

She meets Faaran and Emmerentia- who both have their own secrets to guard. But they are Mahenas only hope for answers.

My thoughts:

Well written, deep world building and beautiful friendships. I especially loved the dynamic amongst the three MC’s. The story has left me super keen to continue the series!

If you love found family, epic worlds, journeys, magic and multiple POVs this might be a read for you.
Profile Image for Lucie Gray.
11 reviews
July 22, 2021
A Curse of Blood and Power is easily a 5 star read for me. The world building in the book is great and the author did an amazing job of creating the world of Fanhalen. I love the two main female characters, Mahena and Emmerentia; they are both really strong and powerful female protagonists and Mahena had witty humour throughout the book which I loved. The book also has chapters from multiple POVs which makes it even more interesting and overall it was just a really entertaining read with found family tropes, unknown secrets from the characters’ pasts and an amazing magical world.
5 reviews
December 2, 2025
It started well with lots of intrigueing perspectives and introductions of character types, but then the pulse flatlines until about 75% of the way through it. It finished strong enough that I will start the second book in the series.

Stay tuned…
Profile Image for Tania H..
4 reviews
March 20, 2023
To start with, I'm very impressed considering this is a debut novel. I can tell that a lot of love went into the worldbuilding, and that's always a big green flag for me. There wasn't a whole lot of information about the world given, but that is understandable since ACOBAP is just the first in a series. I am certainly intrigued by the mysteries Viviene Noel has laid out, especially the significance of all the characters shown in Mahena's flashes of memory, and I look forward to the next instalment.

Now the reasons for my rating being 3/5. There were a few things that brought down my enjoyment of the book, however some can be dismissed as simply needing more experience (the pace being inconsistent, confusing POV changes) so not to worry there. I will say though that I never really connected to the characters much, and their rather nonchalant attitude towards slavery was eyebrow raising. It felt like I was a passive observer just lazily watching these characters go on their adventure and not really caring what happens to them one way or the other. I suppose I was looking for more immersion.

Another thing - however I do acknowledge that this may just be my own personal opinions - was the character Adam Mayfair. I felt very, very uncomfortable whenever he was on the page. His attitude and behaviour towards Mahena made me cringe, and I wasn't into her reaction at all. With Mahena looking like his past lover and the apparent control/influence he has on her, it all came across as very predatory. It was an unexpected part of the story that I would hope doesn't happen again, or at least has some kind of consequences and not just brushed over.

Overall the negatives didn't drastically impact my enjoyment and I will be keeping a close eye out for the sequel. Noel's writing is quite beautiful and with some more practice and exploration of her skills I can see some real gems coming along in the near future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Claudette.
77 reviews4 followers
September 27, 2021
Congratulations to Viviene Noel for publishing her debut novel last August. A Curse of Blood and Power is the first book in the series, set in a fantasy world called Fanhalen where magic disappeared and they are currently in a war with the creatures called Shadows.

I received a digital copy for being part of the cover reveal months ago. Besides the cover, the synopsis looks promising and as a lover of the fantasy genre, I decided to give it a chance. The novel is divided into two parts with multiple points of view. With that said, the pacing was too slow for my liking and the storyline was a bit confusing which is one of the reasons why it took me longer to finish the book. A lot of things were happening in part one that made the flow of the story hard to follow. Aside from world-building, it is also important for readers to connect with the characters. I, on the other hand, did not feel any emotional connection while reading. I almost did not finish the book but I felt like I owed it to the author and to myself to read it until the end. I am glad I insisted on finishing the novel because the second part is where it gets more interesting. Once I reached half of the book, the reading became smoother and faster.

Stolen memories, forbidden love, world-walker, the disappearance of magic, war & adventure, and possibly a lost heir. The concept is refreshing, the world of Fanhalen looks promising and there is a lot of potentials to further develop the world-building. I like that there is LGBTQ+ representation and the diversity of the characters. Despite my initial opinion on the book, I do look forward to rereading it someday and possibly read the other books in the series once published.

This book may not be for me but I hear others are enjoying it. For all fantasy lovers out there, you should give this book a chance.
1 review
November 26, 2021
There are many reasons, see below, I loved this book and am giving it 5 stars.
The book is set in the fantasy world / continent of Fanhalen and describes the events and adventures of a twin brother and sister (Fàaran and Emmerentia) and Mahena, a young woman that is ,for one reason or another (and glimpses of this reason are already shown in this installment), waking up in this world after growing up on what seems like our own earth.
The combination of on the one hand coming of age of the protagonists and on the other hand the mix of our own world and Fanhalen was particularly appealing to me.
Character development is not finished but, given this book is obviously meant as a starting point for a series, this is definitely a good thing. The same is true for the world-building: no, it is not finished and no, not everything is clear but this only makes me want to read the next part more. Society on Fanhalen has a definite mediaeval feel to it, including the remnants (or possible more) of magic, a complex, almost feudal, society with all the pros and cons that come with that and creatures that may or may not be real.
The plot of the novel seems relatively straight forward, especially in the beginning, but along the way you get the sense that there is more to it than that and that the author is pulling you along on the threads of her own imagination that stretch way beyond the first book.
The writing is flowing and easy to read and the very occasional typo not troublesome at all.
Like all good novels that are aimed at a YA audience it is appealing to older readers as well. I for one, as an older reader, look forward to part 2 (and 3 and 4 and…)!
Oh, and one last positive thing:
It has a map!
Profile Image for Viviene Noel.
Author 8 books24 followers
December 1, 2021
Hello everyone! Firstly I would like to thank everyone who has stopped by this page, either read or is reading or put it to their shelf for the future. I would not have put my heart and soul in this story if I didn't believe it to be worth five stars. The Chronicles of Fanhalen were born out of my desire to create a complete universe with as many storylines, representation, and diversity as possible, whilst at the same time interweaving characters from a series into others. 'A Curse of Blood and Power' is the first book in the first series and lays the groundworks of what is to come—a path of breadcrumbs for all to collect. Although the first book is YA, I see the series as a whole as New adult for the darker themes it will explore and portray.
It follows the journey of Mahena, a human from Earth, as she wakes up in another war ravaged realm and is rapidly told that her own memory and herself have been cursed and erased from this land, and that only extremely powerful magic is capable of such an act. In this book we discover who she is as a person as she carefully treads through unknown lands and is forced to trust a set of twins with their own heavy secrets, whilst being conflicted about sharing hers. Through the twins and a couple of extra POV's, we even get a glimpse of the political situations across Fanhalen. It is a story about self-discovery, self-acceptance, forgiveness and courage, about learning to let go of the past and to trust again despite the pain.

Thank you for being here with me and I hope you stay for the ride!

The second instalment is in the writing, and you can expect it to be fast-paced, darker, with twists you will definitely not see coming.

With all the love that my heart contains,
Viv.
Profile Image for Lana.
5 reviews7 followers
August 2, 2021
Spoiler free review of A Curse of Blood and Power

I want to start off with thanking Viviene Noel for sending me the arc of this book!!! I am so thankful that I got to read this and very excited to share my thoughts!! I went into this book expecting to love it and I am very pleased by how much I enjoyed reading it!!! The beginning started off quickly with multiple point of views which can easily confuse the reader but that is expected of a book of this genre! It explained itself perfectly as I got to know the characters. There were a few times when it switched between point of views and I found it hard to distinguish who’s head we were in for a little. As the characters grew on me I was able to quickly make distinctions. Viviene had many beautiful sentences throughout the book that just captivate the reader! However, it was only around the half-way mark that I started to get invested and binged the rest of the book! I loved how Viviene left breadcrumbs throughout to leave you wondering! I had such an amazing time going on this journey with Mahena and the twins through the wonderfully crafted world of Fanhalen! This book is filled with adventure, mystery, and a littleeee bit of magic ;) Throughout the story I found myself wondering how Mahena came to be here and how the mystery would unravel! Viviene did an excellent job on creating a book that wrapped the reader up in a whirl of fantasy and mystery. Again, I am so very thankful to Viviene for allowing me to join her on this wonderful journey!
Profile Image for chasingholden.
247 reviews48 followers
August 8, 2021
First a huge thank you to Viviene Noel for an arc of A Curse of Blood and Power. I love fantasy but I don't really read a whole lot of newer fantasy, I like to stick to the older epic fantasies but when I came across this book via Instagram I knew I had to read it. Something about the combination of the cover, the name, and the synopsis blended magically and caught my attention immediately.

When I first started reading I was slightly overwhelmed. Straight off we are introduced to multiple characters, multiple points of view and it made me a little nervous but pushing on after the first couple chapters I wall pulled so deeply in to this incredible world Noel has built that aside from a couple minor characters I had no trouble keeping up at all. I am so glad I didn't let the initial nervousness put me off because this book is absolutely incredible!

Noel is a very gifted writer, spinning words and details and history to create an absolutely enthralling book that will please any fantasy fan. The characters, while a little difficult to separate at first, quickly become unmistakable, each written with so much depth it's hard to remember they live only in these pages, sadly.

I absolutely need the second installment in this series. Viviene Noel has dropped a masterpiece in to our hands and you will NOT want to miss this one.

overall rating slightly higher than 4 out of 5. Definitely one to keep a very close eye on for progress updates regarding the next release
Profile Image for Chiara | wordsbychiara.
695 reviews352 followers
April 13, 2025
Thank you to the author for the gifted paperback copy. Opinions are my own.

A CURSE OF BLOOD AND POWER is a new adult Epic Romantic Fantasy following Mahena, a young woman from 21st century Earth who awakens in another realm—one where magic is almost extinct, but whatever is left of it reacts to her. Now burdened by dreams and visions of a past she doesn't remember, she has no choice but to place her trust in the secretive twins that take her in, and venture through a land ravaged by shadows to reach the Scholar Kingdom, where she might find answers about who she truly is.

The world building is really intricate (which I loved!) with a vast cast of characters, making it the perfect read for readers who love an epic and complex fantasy read. Many of the characters also have their own PoV chapters, and while this was personally a bit overwhelming at times, it does add a lot of interesting layers to the story. I would have liked to have a bit more insight to Mahena's life before she woke up another realm to feel a deeper attachment to her, but I did enjoy her character regardless, especially her relationship with the twins!

Here are some things to anticipate:
- slow burn wlw romance 👩❤️👩
- one of the main characters hears a voice in her head 👀
- a strong plot with romance subplot
- multiple storylines
- morally gray characters all around
- FEMALE RAGE
- forbidden romance
- found family but also twins!
Profile Image for Sydney Hawthorn.
Author 3 books75 followers
August 29, 2021
I was given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review!! I want to start this by saying I’m a MEGA mood reader, and I don’t usually read ARCs, but the premise of this story really drew me in, and the cover, so pretty! Plus I’ve been following the author for a while so I was really excited!

That being said, the plot and pacing were unfortunately a bit too slow for my liking. I had a really hard time getting through the first part of the book because of it. The author does a lot of world building and has a large cast of characters which are usually both things that really draw me into a story! However in this case, at least for me, it was really difficult for me to get into the story because that world building was so slow. I just didn’t feel connected to the plot or characters early on, which is something that’s really important for drawing me into a story right away! Especially with all the POV jumping and world building happening at the same time, it made everything sort of confusing and hard for me to follow/understand.

But all in all that is just my personal opinion, and there are clearly plenty of others who adored this story so I would absolutely recommend trying it for yourself and making your own decisions!
Profile Image for Michelle.
24 reviews2 followers
August 2, 2021
First off, thank you Viviene for the ARC! I really enjoyed this book. I was a bit lost in the beginning, but to be honest I expect that from a high fantasy introducing a whole new world. Overall it's a very fun adventure/journey with engaging characters. And the end was awesome and had me wide awake in the middle of the night. I was riveted and am now eagerly awaiting the next installment.

It's a bit slower paced, but the characters are really enjoyable and again the ending packs a punch. The majority of the story focuses on dimension traveler Mahena and the twins helping her out to recover her missing memories. (I am a huge sucker for a memory loss story!) The relationship between Mahena and Emmerentia was just so adorable and snarky. I loved it! The worldbuilding was rich and well done. You do get a few glimpses of other VERY intriguing characters along the way. Nepherym was a personal favorite of mine.

If you like a good travelling adventure fantasy with kick-ass leading ladies, give this a sniff. You won't be disappointed.
Profile Image for Navarda.
116 reviews3 followers
October 23, 2023
1.75 ⭐️ for me.
If it weren't potentially part of a reading challenge I'm in, I would have DNF'd within the first 200 pages.

- I found there were too many POVs to keep track of. And they were highlighted by location, very rarely by the character. Which is pointless when for the bulk of it 3 Characters were always together.

- the use of references rather than names randomly sprinkled in added to the confusion I already had. For example, we have a set of twins. When the author refers to one of them as "the twin", it was often hard to know WHICH TWIN we were talking about.

- there was a lot of plot, but not enough background? I get the need for mystery, but it was excessive and made a lot of the world building and lore confusing, and ultimately read as a secondary book rather than a first read.

- "teeths". Errors like this cropped up a fair bit, and this specific one was probably the tipping point where I established this book was going to be a mission to get through.

- the potential was there for this one. But the execution definitely missed its mark for me.
Profile Image for Victoria Wren.
Author 12 books41 followers
July 21, 2021
I had the pleasure of reading this book in its early inception and I'm so excited for Vivienne and what's to come for her. I loved this book. I'm not a huge fantasy fan and only recently have started to read the genre, but the world-building was so detailed and enthralling and what the author does best is character development, no none was entirely black and white, there was so much grey, and so much to learn with these creations. I loved the main trio of characters, especially the twins, and getting an insight into that twin bond.
There are some plot points left unexplained, but in a teasing way, which sets up the mystery for the next installment, which I'm looking forward to. I'm particularly looking forward to finding out more about the MC, Mahena, and where she comes from. This did have some steamy stuff, which I LOVED. Vivienne is a beautiful writer with a very distinctive voice, I cant wait for the next book!
Profile Image for Aishwarya.
190 reviews8 followers
July 27, 2021
I generally love watching fantasy series and movies but in case of books I am very picky because all that descriptions, lots of characters and POV it's very hard to keep it all together.

Mehena was shocked when she landed from 21st century of earth to an altogether different world. She was all alone there struggling to find 5he answers when she met twins Emmerentia and Farran. They also have their own dark secrets and past which they somehow themselves are unaware and looking to put pieces together.

World building was great, and I liked characters and lgtbq representation done by author. Language was rich and not for the beginners. Although I felt book had some over descriptions and was very long but I guess it's case with fantasy books. There are many questions and mysteries in my mind which will be answered in 2nd part of the book. I think hardcore fantasy lover can totally enjoy this book.
Profile Image for TC Rittenhouse.
706 reviews17 followers
August 3, 2021
First off, thank you to Viviene for this Advanced Reader Copy! This is my honest review.

Second, holy moly this was an adventure through a new land with complex characters, magic that has been gone for two years, and a war between the Shadow and the humans while the Fae court sits out.

Mahena is a girl who longed for adventure, and when she wakes up in a new land, she now gets to have the adventure of a lifetime. But who is the voice in her head, and what secrets are hidden?

She is found in a field by Emmerentia and her twin brother Fàaran and nursed to health, but all is not what it seems.

Everyone has secrets and they aren’t telling.

I want the next book as soon as possible, this was phenomenal and amazing.
Profile Image for emily.
261 reviews
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July 25, 2021
dnf at 40%

i was really looking forward to this book but sadly it’s not for me :(

(tw: slavery) i just didn’t really vibe with the characters and it’s fairly character driven so it was hard to keep interested. but i decided to dnf at 40% because of 2/3 main characters lowkey defending slavery? i know this takes place at a time when that happened but still, i don’t think it was necessary to the story to add how the characters are okay with it. regardless of the time period, i just couldn’t see myself wanting to root for the characters after them saying slavery is fine and “not always bad” multiple times.
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504 reviews
September 21, 2021
DNF

This was too much too fast, too much info, too much cliche and too many characters all within one chapter. It didn’t wait to hook the reader before launching heavy world building at them and I simply couldn’t get through it. A shame, it has potential but jumps about too much to let the reader settle into the plot or characters. I think there was something like four POVs in just chapter one which was way too disorienting.

The rhythm and flow was good, just needed majorly paring back and to ease the reader in more. Gorgeous cover.
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42 reviews3 followers
July 2, 2021
If you like epic fantasy with strong heroines, found family, morally grey characters and magic then you will LOVE this book!! The author has skilfully interwoven a cast of complex, engaging characters against a backdrop of political and social intrigue that keeps you gripped to the pages. Full of twists and turns and emotional upheaval this story will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. For fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree, Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J Maas!
2 reviews
July 17, 2021
Thank you Viviene for the ARC.

In my opinion, the novel was slow paced. Viviene took her time world building and building up the characters so not much really happened.

I was a bit confused in the beginning due to the change in perspectives but that subsided.

The latter half of the novel picked up slightly which made it more enjoyable for me.

I can't wait for the next novel to see what will happen next.
Profile Image for Andy.
9 reviews
July 31, 2021
DNF 41%

I should thank Viviene Noel for the digital ARC and I was trying to get through this entire book because of that but...

I'm not curious enough or invested enough in the story to look past two of the main characters defending slavery. Now since I'm DNFing, maybe they go into this part further later on but I really don't see excuses for defending slavery.

Either way, the characters are cool, the writing is good and the worldbuilding seems solid but really, I'm done right here.
1 review
December 15, 2021
I just wanted to thank the author and share my thoughts on this book. ITs a new promising story with an interesting cast of characters (very different, loads of backstory to be unveiled) and a vast set of kingdoms that I feel will have a strong voice as the series grow. Very curious as to how it unfolds and what these breadcrumbs lead to.
47 reviews4 followers
December 17, 2021
I really love this book! It had me hooked from the very beginning and it's perfect for adventurers. The only reason I'm giving it a 4 is because I'm a hopeless romantic who loves more romance in the story. The chemistry between Mahena and Emerentia is great and I hope we see more of it in the next book ❤
Profile Image for Melissa Widmaier.
Author 4 books18 followers
November 27, 2024
It took me a bit to get into the narrative, though I did enjoy the slow progress of the characters getting to know each other. The ending definitely ramps up and all of the pieces that had been a bit vague start to fall into place. I especially enjoyed the werewolves, but I think my favorite character was Fáaran. I definitely want more of his backstory.
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