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The Pendant of Hyacinth #1
Awakened
Prince Arael Kendall's past comes back to haunt him when the Nightmare Crisis throws his life into chaos. In a last ditch effort to make things right, he runs away from home and finds himself in the company of Hazel Redwood, a happy-go-lucky teen with their own secrets to sort out. As an odd string of coincidences begins to reveal the duo's missing pieces, the monsters called Nightmares continue to ravage the world to the west. Thalia Fae is one of the many warriors working to push them back into the Subconscious Forest, but the pressures of leadership are enough to deal with on their own without the added burden of saving the world. Luckily, she won't have to do it alone.
400 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2021
42 people are currently reading
1148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 15, 2022
Before I write this review, I've gotta preface it with saying I am a notorious book snob, and my taste in books is definitely a little more mature than the audience this one was intended for.
That being said, I was pretty disappointed by this one. I found this book through Quinn's art on instagram, and unfortunately, she can represent her characters better in art than she can in writing. I was so excited to see them in writing, but all the depth and development she'd hinted at through her art was missing here.
I think the reason I really didn't like this as much as I was wanting to is because I was definitely way older than the target demographic, and the writing came off as juvenile and inexperienced, and the same can be said for any middle-grade book.
It definitely has a certain whimsy that I really enjoyed. It was a quick read, and you could tell that the author really enjoyed writing it. She had fun with it, and as a result, the reader did too. Unfortunately, development was very rushed and characters felt flat. I think if I'd read this is as a kid, my opinion would be different.
I'm honestly really sad I didn't love this book, I really enjoy supporting small authors and I think this book could really go places! If you're a fan of the Wings of Fire series, Warrior Cats, Rick Riordan, Fablehaven or other similar middle-grade series, look no further! This book is full of the magical fancifulness that I enjoyed when I was in that demographic, though that doesn't apply to me any more.
A few things I did really enjoy about this book (though as a whole a bit juvenile for me) were the DIVERSITY! It was so exciting and refreshing to see POC and LGBTQ+ characters represented WITHOUT MAKING IT A DRIVING PLOT POINT! Usually, the rule of thumb is that if there's diversity in a book, it becomes one of the main conflicts. Which is nice, those topics need to be addressed, but it was awesome to see it where it's hardly batted an eye at. I loved that.
All in all, though not for me, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves middle grade books.
That being said, I was pretty disappointed by this one. I found this book through Quinn's art on instagram, and unfortunately, she can represent her characters better in art than she can in writing. I was so excited to see them in writing, but all the depth and development she'd hinted at through her art was missing here.
I think the reason I really didn't like this as much as I was wanting to is because I was definitely way older than the target demographic, and the writing came off as juvenile and inexperienced, and the same can be said for any middle-grade book.
It definitely has a certain whimsy that I really enjoyed. It was a quick read, and you could tell that the author really enjoyed writing it. She had fun with it, and as a result, the reader did too. Unfortunately, development was very rushed and characters felt flat. I think if I'd read this is as a kid, my opinion would be different.
I'm honestly really sad I didn't love this book, I really enjoy supporting small authors and I think this book could really go places! If you're a fan of the Wings of Fire series, Warrior Cats, Rick Riordan, Fablehaven or other similar middle-grade series, look no further! This book is full of the magical fancifulness that I enjoyed when I was in that demographic, though that doesn't apply to me any more.
A few things I did really enjoy about this book (though as a whole a bit juvenile for me) were the DIVERSITY! It was so exciting and refreshing to see POC and LGBTQ+ characters represented WITHOUT MAKING IT A DRIVING PLOT POINT! Usually, the rule of thumb is that if there's diversity in a book, it becomes one of the main conflicts. Which is nice, those topics need to be addressed, but it was awesome to see it where it's hardly batted an eye at. I loved that.
All in all, though not for me, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves middle grade books.
February 6, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Let me get into this by saying that I went in with very different expectations (especially when it came to plot and target demographic, but we'll get into that later) and I don't think it's much of a surprise that I was slightly disappointed.
However, I would like to point out that this is Riley's debut novel and repeat that I had extremely different expectations, and the bar might've been a bit too high.
Let's start with the whole premise of the book, shall we?
(I did read this a while ago, and my memory isn't the best, so I am heavily relying on the blurb)
This book follows the three main protagonists:
- Hazel, a chirpy teen from a town in Creativity. Hazel also happens to be burdened with a magical pendant.
- Arael, the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Knowledge Terrace (I feel like I messed up the name) and happens to be a workaholic who's very obsessed with being perfect.
- Thalia (though we don't get much of her from in this book) is The Guardian and has the most beautiful green hair ever. She's strong, brave, extremely hard working and put's a little too much pressure on herself. And she's in a concerning romantic relationship, woohoo 😭
Now, there happens to be something called the Nightmare Crisis that has just begun. Thalia has to fight the Nightmares, Hazel's pendant seems to be related to the crisis in some way, and Areal is kind of stuck in this mess? He has got to protect his kingdom though, so I guess that counts.
Anyway, my memory is failing me, so I guess we'll stop there.
Anyway, moving on to the characters!
Hazel:
Hazel was not my favourite, but honestly, they really felt like a teenager! I feel like so many books show teenagers are crazy, mature assassins and stuff, and I'm just lying in my bed with piles of incomplete homework, so it isn't very relatable. Hazel, with their childish slang and uncanny ability to trust everyone, seemed so real. However, I would say that they were a bit immature, but I guess that kind of fits with the whole "Creativity Vibe". However, I do believe they have a rather simplistic worldview, even for a 14-year old (this is coming from a teen in the same age group, so yeah)
They are a good subversion of the Chosen One trope, cause honestly, you don't realise they're the Chosen One for a good majority of the book. And they do make mistakes, face consequences for it, and have active parental figures throughout the story (cause why do parents in other YA books just forget their children exist lmao?)
Arael:
In a few aspects, I relate to Arael on a spiritual level. From his obsession with perfection and the amount of pressure he puts on himself, he's pretty relatable. And I've seen a few reels from Riley's Instagram depicting that his teenage self would barely recognise the person he is now (and not in a positive way), and I hope it gets discussed in future books cause that's such an interesting topic.
He is flawed and so far from perfect, and his ✨drama✨ with Thalia will make for such good content the next book sagahjgafgdfagjs
However, I do wish he faced more severe consequences It just felt slightly weird (he did face consequences, but still).
Also, Oh that was good development right there. I was so proud of him for doing that
Thalia:
Thalia wasn't there for a lot of this book, so you don't get to know her that much. However, I love the way she is portrayed in her POVs. She is strong, hardworking, brave, loyal and has very high expectations of herself. She is in a slightly toxic relationship, but Jay is something we shall discuss later.
I love how she is portrayed as strong, but she does ask for help, and how she doesn't pin down other men and women to prove that she is capable. Sadly, there is not much I can say about her.
Hazel's Friends:
Okay, I'll be honest, I found everyone except Monty slightly cheesy. With the whole Muku-Thalia call thing and the whole rivalry between Muku and Arael, I didn't enjoy it. Muku just feels slightly watered down cause I feel like their character could've been really really good, but in the end, instead of reckless and cunning, they just came off as petty and childish.
Anyah and Sheela:
I like Anyah, even though she didnn't have any major character development. Sheela's 'great realization' was realistic and nice to read. Hopefully these two characters get some more screentime and development in the second book!
Jay and Harmony:
Jay should stay away from Thalia ESPECIALLY SINCE HE KEEPS CALLING ARAEL A JERK SJSHAGASHDSGASHGFG okay but that dude is toxic like she really needs to stay away.
On a more serious note, I am pretty intrigued by Harmony and Jay. Especially since they do seem to care about Thalia to a certain extent, and I'm very sure they're going to be antagonists, so I wonder how that's going to play out. Their motives are still unclear, so hopefully, book 2 clears stuff out.
Others:
Chet doesn't deserve Maxwell, I'm sorry 😭
Now, plot, setting, etc.:
A lot hasn't been explained in this book, which I honestly enjoyed! The plot was slightly slow at the start, which made it feel like a chore, but the pacing definitely got better. The setting was interesting, vivid, and the differences in culture really showed. I would love to see more of Fantasy, cause it sounds very interesting.
Pacing at the start was off, which of course meant little to nothing significantly large happened for about 1/4 of the book. Which was annoying.
But more on the plot will be covered in what I didn't like (or was disappointed by).
What I didn't like:
Now, I went into this book expecting this:
- The book starts with all three of them meeting
- Thalia and Arael become a couple by end of the book
- YA (which probably would've been a better choice)
Now, why wasn't this YA?
That is a question I have constantly been asking myself. I feel like by aiming for an older teenage audience, the characters would've been allowed more freedom to be more "bad" and it would've suited the plot better. As much as I think this is a great Middle Grade book, it would've been better if Riley aimed for this to be YA and gave themselves some room to make it slightly darker.
And since the , I wasn't really satistfied.
Now, this isn't Riley's fault, I just had a sort of set expectation from the moment I heard of the basics of this plot. So again, that's on me.
Now, there's one thnig I really loved:
✨ THE DIVERSITY ✨
Hazel in non-binary, Arael is bisexual, Thalia is demisexual, Hazel has two moms and Sheela and Anyah are (hopefully) going to be a lesbian couple! However, I am unsure whether Sheela is bi, cause I am not sure if she was really into Arael or not. There's also Chet and Maxwell, one of the male guards who was intoArael Felix, Muku and possibly Monty.
Also there is large amount of POC characters (Thalia is black, I believe Hazel is mixed, and Arael maybe be part Asian as well) which was so nice to see <33
I might have forgotten some major stuff, but I'm writing this review while being deprived of my beauty sleep, so please forgive me.
Let me get into this by saying that I went in with very different expectations (especially when it came to plot and target demographic, but we'll get into that later) and I don't think it's much of a surprise that I was slightly disappointed.
However, I would like to point out that this is Riley's debut novel and repeat that I had extremely different expectations, and the bar might've been a bit too high.
Let's start with the whole premise of the book, shall we?
(I did read this a while ago, and my memory isn't the best, so I am heavily relying on the blurb)
This book follows the three main protagonists:
- Hazel, a chirpy teen from a town in Creativity. Hazel also happens to be burdened with a magical pendant.
- Arael, the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Knowledge Terrace (I feel like I messed up the name) and happens to be a workaholic who's very obsessed with being perfect.
- Thalia (though we don't get much of her from in this book) is The Guardian and has the most beautiful green hair ever. She's strong, brave, extremely hard working and put's a little too much pressure on herself. And she's in a concerning romantic relationship, woohoo 😭
Now, there happens to be something called the Nightmare Crisis that has just begun. Thalia has to fight the Nightmares, Hazel's pendant seems to be related to the crisis in some way, and Areal is kind of stuck in this mess? He has got to protect his kingdom though, so I guess that counts.
Anyway, my memory is failing me, so I guess we'll stop there.
Anyway, moving on to the characters!
Hazel:
Hazel was not my favourite, but honestly, they really felt like a teenager! I feel like so many books show teenagers are crazy, mature assassins and stuff, and I'm just lying in my bed with piles of incomplete homework, so it isn't very relatable. Hazel, with their childish slang and uncanny ability to trust everyone, seemed so real. However, I would say that they were a bit immature, but I guess that kind of fits with the whole "Creativity Vibe". However, I do believe they have a rather simplistic worldview, even for a 14-year old (this is coming from a teen in the same age group, so yeah)
They are a good subversion of the Chosen One trope, cause honestly, you don't realise they're the Chosen One for a good majority of the book. And they do make mistakes, face consequences for it, and have active parental figures throughout the story (cause why do parents in other YA books just forget their children exist lmao?)
Arael:
In a few aspects, I relate to Arael on a spiritual level. From his obsession with perfection and the amount of pressure he puts on himself, he's pretty relatable. And I've seen a few reels from Riley's Instagram depicting that his teenage self would barely recognise the person he is now (and not in a positive way), and I hope it gets discussed in future books cause that's such an interesting topic.
He is flawed and so far from perfect, and his ✨drama✨ with Thalia will make for such good content the next book sagahjgafgdfagjs
However, I do wish he faced more severe consequences It just felt slightly weird (he did face consequences, but still).
Also, Oh that was good development right there. I was so proud of him for doing that
Thalia:
Thalia wasn't there for a lot of this book, so you don't get to know her that much. However, I love the way she is portrayed in her POVs. She is strong, hardworking, brave, loyal and has very high expectations of herself. She is in a slightly toxic relationship, but Jay is something we shall discuss later.
I love how she is portrayed as strong, but she does ask for help, and how she doesn't pin down other men and women to prove that she is capable. Sadly, there is not much I can say about her.
Hazel's Friends:
Okay, I'll be honest, I found everyone except Monty slightly cheesy. With the whole Muku-Thalia call thing and the whole rivalry between Muku and Arael, I didn't enjoy it. Muku just feels slightly watered down cause I feel like their character could've been really really good, but in the end, instead of reckless and cunning, they just came off as petty and childish.
Anyah and Sheela:
I like Anyah, even though she didnn't have any major character development. Sheela's 'great realization' was realistic and nice to read. Hopefully these two characters get some more screentime and development in the second book!
Jay and Harmony:
Jay should stay away from Thalia ESPECIALLY SINCE HE KEEPS CALLING ARAEL A JERK SJSHAGASHDSGASHGFG okay but that dude is toxic like she really needs to stay away.
On a more serious note, I am pretty intrigued by Harmony and Jay. Especially since they do seem to care about Thalia to a certain extent, and I'm very sure they're going to be antagonists, so I wonder how that's going to play out. Their motives are still unclear, so hopefully, book 2 clears stuff out.
Others:
Chet doesn't deserve Maxwell, I'm sorry 😭
Now, plot, setting, etc.:
A lot hasn't been explained in this book, which I honestly enjoyed! The plot was slightly slow at the start, which made it feel like a chore, but the pacing definitely got better. The setting was interesting, vivid, and the differences in culture really showed. I would love to see more of Fantasy, cause it sounds very interesting.
Pacing at the start was off, which of course meant little to nothing significantly large happened for about 1/4 of the book. Which was annoying.
But more on the plot will be covered in what I didn't like (or was disappointed by).
What I didn't like:
Now, I went into this book expecting this:
- The book starts with all three of them meeting
- Thalia and Arael become a couple by end of the book
- YA (which probably would've been a better choice)
Now, why wasn't this YA?
That is a question I have constantly been asking myself. I feel like by aiming for an older teenage audience, the characters would've been allowed more freedom to be more "bad" and it would've suited the plot better. As much as I think this is a great Middle Grade book, it would've been better if Riley aimed for this to be YA and gave themselves some room to make it slightly darker.
And since the , I wasn't really satistfied.
Now, this isn't Riley's fault, I just had a sort of set expectation from the moment I heard of the basics of this plot. So again, that's on me.
Now, there's one thnig I really loved:
✨ THE DIVERSITY ✨
Hazel in non-binary, Arael is bisexual, Thalia is demisexual, Hazel has two moms and Sheela and Anyah are (hopefully) going to be a lesbian couple! However, I am unsure whether Sheela is bi, cause I am not sure if she was really into Arael or not. There's also Chet and Maxwell, one of the male guards who was into
Also there is large amount of POC characters (Thalia is black, I believe Hazel is mixed, and Arael maybe be part Asian as well) which was so nice to see <33
I might have forgotten some major stuff, but I'm writing this review while being deprived of my beauty sleep, so please forgive me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2022
I’m gonna be honest: I have to pre-face this with the fact that I am an adult reader and not within the intended audience for this book, in addition to that I am quite a book snob when it comes to reading fantasy and books. I’ve been reading for a long time, and I’ve read a lot, so my opinion/review should be taken with a grain of salt.
I honestly think that this book would’ve been much better suited as a graphic novel, because the author is a fantastic artist and does such a wonderful job capturing the emotions and expressions of her characters in her art. The writing, which I think would’ve been better suited for the graphic novel, just didn’t strike a chord with me. Younger audiences will definitely be drawn to the story and to the writing style, as it’s definitely marketed towards them, but I just felt a little out of place reading it.
That being said though, the world building in this story is super solid, such an intriguing concept but has so much potential, and the sheer diversity of characters throughout the story make it such an incredible book! I honestly cannot wait to see How this author positively affects trends of diverse writing and characterization within future YA series! 💜
I honestly think that this book would’ve been much better suited as a graphic novel, because the author is a fantastic artist and does such a wonderful job capturing the emotions and expressions of her characters in her art. The writing, which I think would’ve been better suited for the graphic novel, just didn’t strike a chord with me. Younger audiences will definitely be drawn to the story and to the writing style, as it’s definitely marketed towards them, but I just felt a little out of place reading it.
That being said though, the world building in this story is super solid, such an intriguing concept but has so much potential, and the sheer diversity of characters throughout the story make it such an incredible book! I honestly cannot wait to see How this author positively affects trends of diverse writing and characterization within future YA series! 💜
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2022
MINOR SPOILERS
I also came here from the authors Instagram page, and I bought this book as a way to support a smaller self-published author and also because I was really interested in her world. And while her concepts are great on art and Instagram, I feel this would be a MUCH better TV show than a book. Dialogue and art are clearly their strengths, and their characters and world are actually very interesting, but the novelization format diminishes the potential these characters could have.
There is a LOT of telling instead of showing, which I could let slide a little if it were a book for very young people, but this book doesn’t really fit any particular age group/target audience. The writings very juvenile and the characters all act very young, which is totally fine! But then she also says fuck and shit and everything, and I’m not against cursing but marketability wise it jumps between genres and target audiences like it’s not sure what it wants to be. It also very much reads like the play by play of a cartoon, as the characters act very cartoonish with very animated stunts, which is why it would suit a show so much better. I feel if you weren’t already familiar with the world and authors art, this book wouldn’t work as well.
The characters also bond VERY quickly (hazel and areal, hazel and johnathan in particular-they go from hating him to caring him “dad” very quickly), no clashing or proper development, and they all announce their own dynamics point blank. It’d be nice to see them unfold organically, and also it would just read much better. The world is never really explained; I could never picture any of the locations, as they weren’t described, the strange blend of medieval with cell phones was a little baffling, but I’m not gonna take off points for that. The story also began with a massive info dump (not a great way to start). And despite it, I still didn’t learn much. Also, for most of the book the characters don’t even seem to have a real goal/conflict to solve; there are some very long drags of characters just hanging out, which should have been cut, or at least had some plot relevance. It’s important to show characters bond, but every scene should at least advance the plot, but here the scenes of characters just hanging out made it feel like a fluff fanfiction as opposed to a novel.
Also, every single side character having an arc and romantic interest they need to fulfill took up a lot of extra space and dragged away from the protagonists. Not every single background character (including the random guards) needs to go through a whole arc, and when every single one is just them finding a romantic partner it gets repetitive. I don’t wanna be too harsh in this review, not just cuz I want the author to improve, but because I know she can. There are definitely some GREAT scenes that would translate better visually but do still work in writing, and her characters are FANTASTIC. They’re very likeable and charming-though Hazel acts way too young for their age-and there are some great passages and lines. This novel could very easily be great, like really good, I just think it needed a lot more revision and a few more drafts before it could reach that. I do still want to read the next one and support her, and hope she improves from there, because I truly think the books can only get better.
December 2, 2021
What an incredible accomplishment in the fantasy genre. So much attention is given to the world and to the details, the world of the Conscious feels SO lived in and genuine. Every single character feels so fleshed-out and real, with positive feel-good energy flowing from every single page. The main three in particular, Hazel, Thalia, and Arael, quickly begin to feel like close friends of yours as you travel the events of the novel and jump around from their different POVs. Every single one of them is so incredibly unique and such an awesome addition to a genre currently filled with characters that often feel monotonous or hesitant to be one of a kind. It's more than the main dream team as well, as every single character in the world is so kind and distinctive in a way that really lends to the immersion and detail filling the beautiful world created within. The conflict in the novel as well, really drives this book into the corner of YA fantasy masterpiece. The driving conflict and action feel real and the gravity of the situation is never lost. Without being unnecessarily dark or gritty, the characters in the novel all respond to stress and challenges in ways that real human beings would. Every piece of the story feels so perfectly placed, especially as the lives of each character begins to become intertwined and connected in new and genius ways. The writing blends stunning scenery and hilarious, warm dialogue into a reading experience that brings so much joy. Undoubtedly the best of the part of this novel is that joy: how inspiring and happy it is. In the face of adversity, we see the characters within push past challenges beyond belief and thriving in ways that leave you smiling and so happy. It's impossible not to smile as you read about Hazel's joyous spirit, Arael's triumph and found friendship in the face of stress and worry, and Thalia's inspiring bravery and care in the face of a duty and battles more difficult and stressful than imaginable. That ending too, wow! Without spoiling anything, it makes me REALLY excited for the release of book two! This novel is absolutely worth your time, I promise. The detail, characters, incredible action and adventure, and beating heart at the center of it all make it a once-in-a-lifetime read that will undoubtedly brighten up your whole day if not your whole year.
November 30, 2021
Alright this is a non spoiler review but let me tell you this book is with your time.
The world building of this story was amazing, the vivid descriptions of a fully built world provide a exciting backdrop to the interactions of our charecters. And let me tell you, the characters really shine. Thalia is a new and exciting heroin whos selflessness is also a flaw. Her interactions with the perfection centered Areal are funny, heartfelt and incredibly interesting especially as you learn more about their past together. Hazel is a wonderful person that everyone will quickly fall in love with. These are unique YA protagonists and you will relate to at least one of them and root for them to succeed. The plot is perfectly placed and incredibly engaging, I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book, and I promise this will be your new favorite fantasy!
The world building of this story was amazing, the vivid descriptions of a fully built world provide a exciting backdrop to the interactions of our charecters. And let me tell you, the characters really shine. Thalia is a new and exciting heroin whos selflessness is also a flaw. Her interactions with the perfection centered Areal are funny, heartfelt and incredibly interesting especially as you learn more about their past together. Hazel is a wonderful person that everyone will quickly fall in love with. These are unique YA protagonists and you will relate to at least one of them and root for them to succeed. The plot is perfectly placed and incredibly engaging, I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book, and I promise this will be your new favorite fantasy!
June 21, 2022
(I hid all spoilers in this review when I wrote it on my laptop, but when I open it in the app on my ipad the formatting is gone! Be warned if you open this in the app and want to avoid them!)
It was kinda hard to get into this book. I’m sorry to say this, but Riley is better at drawing than writing. The writing style is not on the same level as books I usually read. I could envision the story much better as a comic, but I know that Riley has her reasons for not making it a comic and I totally respect that. It’s a lot of effort, after all.
The story, for like half of the book, was just plain boring. Yes, it’s nice to see characters have fun interactions with each other, but not for so long, and not at the beginning. The stakes weren’t high enough for the story to be interesting for a long time.
I also didn’t really like how the book began with Arael and Thalia’s backstory. At the beginning of a book, you don’t really care enough about the characters to be interested in their backstory yet. You want action, something that grips you and stops you from putting the book right back on the shelf. Personally, I think it would have been better to sprinkle bits of their backstory throughout the book and start with something more interesting,
The end of the story was really good though! I enjoyed the last few chapters a lot, when something was actually happening.
I like the characters, I LOVE the art and I suspect the story only progressed so slowly in this book because it was the first one. I think I’m going to get the second book as well. Now that the story got rolling, I’m hopeful that the pace will be faster and that there will be more action overall.
It was kinda hard to get into this book. I’m sorry to say this, but Riley is better at drawing than writing. The writing style is not on the same level as books I usually read. I could envision the story much better as a comic, but I know that Riley has her reasons for not making it a comic and I totally respect that. It’s a lot of effort, after all.
The story, for like half of the book, was just plain boring. Yes, it’s nice to see characters have fun interactions with each other, but not for so long, and not at the beginning. The stakes weren’t high enough for the story to be interesting for a long time.
I also didn’t really like how the book began with Arael and Thalia’s backstory. At the beginning of a book, you don’t really care enough about the characters to be interested in their backstory yet. You want action, something that grips you and stops you from putting the book right back on the shelf. Personally, I think it would have been better to sprinkle bits of their backstory throughout the book and start with something more interesting,
The end of the story was really good though! I enjoyed the last few chapters a lot, when something was actually happening.
I like the characters, I LOVE the art and I suspect the story only progressed so slowly in this book because it was the first one. I think I’m going to get the second book as well. Now that the story got rolling, I’m hopeful that the pace will be faster and that there will be more action overall.
December 4, 2021
I have to open this by saying that this book was absolutely enchanting. The world-building and the phenomenal thought put behind everyone’s cultures and traditions were truly astounding! The concept was refreshing and new, and definitely unique -- a compelling enough reason to pick it up on its own!
I, like many others, fell in love with Quinn’s art in late May or early June, and that’s what inspired me to pre-order when it was announced. I also fell in love with what little she told of the characters and their relationships. The intricacies in her art clearly bleeds into her writing, and I adore that. Her world is so well versed and lived in, and it shows throughout the book. The tale is told in the heroes’ point of views, and you may often find yourself feeling exactly as they do as they respond to what’s being thrown at them.
Without spoiling too much — book one centres around Arael and Hazel, and though Thalia’s got her own role to play throughout the story, it isn’t with the two during the vast majority of this book.
However, that doesn’t mean that this book is any less enthralling! Arael is a painfully relatable character, and the charm of Hazel and their trust and faith in their peers (and everyone they meet) makes for quite a sweet character from typical YA novel stereotypes these days. Thalia is fierce but still only human, and I can quite definitively say that no character in this book was ever dull to me. Even Naell and Song were wonderfully supportive, and healthy family relationships is quite a feat in books these days.
Small details such as Arael’s visor and Hazel’s pendant were wonderful to read about, and characterisation was spot-on. Although I was partial to Team Arael throughout the entire book, even the antagonists were interesting — a challenge that’s often hard to accomplish!
Sheela and Anyah were hilariously wonderful throughout the entirety of the book, and Hazel’s parents are a treat!
This book is marked as YA, with occasional cussing and the word ‘fuck’ used once by an adult. The situation does get bleak but not too gritty (something that many YA books over-emphasise these days), and overall seems fine for ages 12 or 13 and up. A wonderful holiday present for sure!
All in all and in essence, this was a book I adored and devoured in five short hours, starting from 9 PM PST on the 30th, to 2 AM PST on the 1st. I definitely recommend it, but be warned: Once you pick this book up, it’s going to be quite hard to part with! It’ll be a long year’s wait, that is for sure.
Extremely well done, Riley Quinn!
I, like many others, fell in love with Quinn’s art in late May or early June, and that’s what inspired me to pre-order when it was announced. I also fell in love with what little she told of the characters and their relationships. The intricacies in her art clearly bleeds into her writing, and I adore that. Her world is so well versed and lived in, and it shows throughout the book. The tale is told in the heroes’ point of views, and you may often find yourself feeling exactly as they do as they respond to what’s being thrown at them.
Without spoiling too much — book one centres around Arael and Hazel, and though Thalia’s got her own role to play throughout the story, it isn’t with the two during the vast majority of this book.
However, that doesn’t mean that this book is any less enthralling! Arael is a painfully relatable character, and the charm of Hazel and their trust and faith in their peers (and everyone they meet) makes for quite a sweet character from typical YA novel stereotypes these days. Thalia is fierce but still only human, and I can quite definitively say that no character in this book was ever dull to me. Even Naell and Song were wonderfully supportive, and healthy family relationships is quite a feat in books these days.
Small details such as Arael’s visor and Hazel’s pendant were wonderful to read about, and characterisation was spot-on. Although I was partial to Team Arael throughout the entire book, even the antagonists were interesting — a challenge that’s often hard to accomplish!
Sheela and Anyah were hilariously wonderful throughout the entirety of the book, and Hazel’s parents are a treat!
This book is marked as YA, with occasional cussing and the word ‘fuck’ used once by an adult. The situation does get bleak but not too gritty (something that many YA books over-emphasise these days), and overall seems fine for ages 12 or 13 and up. A wonderful holiday present for sure!
All in all and in essence, this was a book I adored and devoured in five short hours, starting from 9 PM PST on the 30th, to 2 AM PST on the 1st. I definitely recommend it, but be warned: Once you pick this book up, it’s going to be quite hard to part with! It’ll be a long year’s wait, that is for sure.
Extremely well done, Riley Quinn!
May 17, 2022
I will preface this by saying that I desperately wanted to love this book. You can tell from the author’s Instagram that she puts a lot of heart and soul into her works.
Unfortunately for Pendant, it needed a few more draft copies and beta readers before hitting shelves. There are many typos and formatting errors, and characters tend to go on long-winded (infodumping) speeches that could’ve been better-written as internal monologues.
Oftentimes characters (namely their Dream companions) are mentioned once out of nowhere and then never mentioned again. Sometimes said characters aren’t even explained, their names are just dropped in and you have to guess who on earth the author is talking about.
-spoilers-
A lot of the dialogue comes across as very stiff and often unnecessary, such as one part (pg 125) where Thalia is talking to Jay and Harmony about becoming guardian, and gives a big speech full of info that the characters already know.
The plot is extremely slow in some parts (like most of the beginning) and way too fast in others (like Hazel warming up to Jonathan, and the Areal/Maku prank war that had me questioning whether I missed something because it seemed completely random and out of place).
The good things about this book are the diversity (diverse characters without making it the main plot), and the worldbuilding.
Things I (keep in mind I am not an editor) believe could benefit the author are: finding a professional editor or a second one if you already have one, finding a larger panel of beta readers (reaching out to people who are not already following your Instagram for readers who don’t already know your characters), researching how to write fluid dialogue, and writing multiple copies of the story before publishing.
I will likely buy the next book, as I am a fan of the author’s characters/art, and I want to see how she’s improved since book one (as there is always room for improvement).
This is absolutely /not/ a bad book by any means— it just needed a little bit more revision <3. I wish the author good luck with her future projects.
Unfortunately for Pendant, it needed a few more draft copies and beta readers before hitting shelves. There are many typos and formatting errors, and characters tend to go on long-winded (infodumping) speeches that could’ve been better-written as internal monologues.
Oftentimes characters (namely their Dream companions) are mentioned once out of nowhere and then never mentioned again. Sometimes said characters aren’t even explained, their names are just dropped in and you have to guess who on earth the author is talking about.
-spoilers-
A lot of the dialogue comes across as very stiff and often unnecessary, such as one part (pg 125) where Thalia is talking to Jay and Harmony about becoming guardian, and gives a big speech full of info that the characters already know.
The plot is extremely slow in some parts (like most of the beginning) and way too fast in others (like Hazel warming up to Jonathan, and the Areal/Maku prank war that had me questioning whether I missed something because it seemed completely random and out of place).
The good things about this book are the diversity (diverse characters without making it the main plot), and the worldbuilding.
Things I (keep in mind I am not an editor) believe could benefit the author are: finding a professional editor or a second one if you already have one, finding a larger panel of beta readers (reaching out to people who are not already following your Instagram for readers who don’t already know your characters), researching how to write fluid dialogue, and writing multiple copies of the story before publishing.
I will likely buy the next book, as I am a fan of the author’s characters/art, and I want to see how she’s improved since book one (as there is always room for improvement).
This is absolutely /not/ a bad book by any means— it just needed a little bit more revision <3. I wish the author good luck with her future projects.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2021
ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL.
This story is incredibly beautiful. It’s world characters are incredibly hilarious and likeable.
These characters feel so real and relatable, especially the main three, who you can tell the author poured their soul out to write.
The humour is very easy to get on board with, and the cast is incredibly diverse. None of the characters feel like copies of each-other, and the way they are written, beautifully captures each, individual personality. I feel so many things about and with these characters (positive and negative), which only makes them feel more real.
In terms of recommendations, I have to prevent myself from from being generic, but I recommend this to ANYONE. (Of course within the age range because of the themes). It’s hard not to fall for the characters, and the story is just *mwah* chefs kiss.
In terms of specifics I recommend this to anybody who’s a big Fantasy fanatic. I’m talking Harry Potter, Shadow and Bone, etc.
It’s world building system is surprisingly simple, but works wonders, and sucks you in. There are hints of romance, action and most importantly fluff and a n g s t, which perfectly complement each-other (making you giggle one moment, and ripping your heart out the next.) An ultimate roller-coaster ride, and this is ONLY the first book of THREE. (Which I’m eagerly waiting for)
Which leads me to my next point. My only gripe with this book is it’s ending. Which is a heart wrenching cliff hanger. It makes me want to cry, but most importantly it makes me yearn for the second book, which I’m very excited about!
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book, for young and old alike. This book is a laugh, a cry, a second-hand cringe, but most importantly, a magical story about a socially awkward banished prince, an intelligent stress-ridden warrior, and an enthusiastic ray of sunshine, who come together to form, the not-so-dream-team.
This story is incredibly beautiful. It’s world characters are incredibly hilarious and likeable.
These characters feel so real and relatable, especially the main three, who you can tell the author poured their soul out to write.
The humour is very easy to get on board with, and the cast is incredibly diverse. None of the characters feel like copies of each-other, and the way they are written, beautifully captures each, individual personality. I feel so many things about and with these characters (positive and negative), which only makes them feel more real.
In terms of recommendations, I have to prevent myself from from being generic, but I recommend this to ANYONE. (Of course within the age range because of the themes). It’s hard not to fall for the characters, and the story is just *mwah* chefs kiss.
In terms of specifics I recommend this to anybody who’s a big Fantasy fanatic. I’m talking Harry Potter, Shadow and Bone, etc.
It’s world building system is surprisingly simple, but works wonders, and sucks you in. There are hints of romance, action and most importantly fluff and a n g s t, which perfectly complement each-other (making you giggle one moment, and ripping your heart out the next.) An ultimate roller-coaster ride, and this is ONLY the first book of THREE. (Which I’m eagerly waiting for)
Which leads me to my next point. My only gripe with this book is it’s ending. Which is a heart wrenching cliff hanger. It makes me want to cry, but most importantly it makes me yearn for the second book, which I’m very excited about!
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book, for young and old alike. This book is a laugh, a cry, a second-hand cringe, but most importantly, a magical story about a socially awkward banished prince, an intelligent stress-ridden warrior, and an enthusiastic ray of sunshine, who come together to form, the not-so-dream-team.
February 3, 2022
The book was ok in my opinion.
The characters were definitely fleshed out and the interactions from friends to siblings and so on felt real. And there WERE moments that the lines evoked a laugh for a screech absolute feels.
That said, the worldbuilding felt a little underdeveloped and referencing things in our modern world (like I remember one part saying of the prodigal son, but that’s literally a Bible story and considering the Dream conscious that there is, you’d assume maybe there’d be a religious or spiritual basis on that. Or maybe considering the person who said the prodigal son reference was a Knowledge Terran, maybe they’re atheists or something doesn’t matter). And maybe it’s a nit-picky point but nitpickiness needs to be there when it comes to worldbuilding.
Also sometimes the plot seemed to halt to pick up a subplot that miiiiight be a bit better to savor and grow tension to (like Hazel finding their dad should’ve or could’ve been stretched out. And then them bonding with their dad and learning to forgive their dad shoulda taken time since I can imagine after years of being told a certain guy sucks and having the proof that he left you would make you weary abt forgiveness).
Also formatting of the book (like font, line space, paragraph alignment) was a little wonky, but that can easily be fixed with an editor.
Regardless, it was a nice book to read just not spellbinding in any way. I LOVED the casual representation, though—we need that more in books. So that’s definitely a bonus. And while there are some grievances I have, I’ll most likely still pick up the second and third book when they release in order to help a small creator.
The characters were definitely fleshed out and the interactions from friends to siblings and so on felt real. And there WERE moments that the lines evoked a laugh for a screech absolute feels.
That said, the worldbuilding felt a little underdeveloped and referencing things in our modern world (like I remember one part saying of the prodigal son, but that’s literally a Bible story and considering the Dream conscious that there is, you’d assume maybe there’d be a religious or spiritual basis on that. Or maybe considering the person who said the prodigal son reference was a Knowledge Terran, maybe they’re atheists or something doesn’t matter). And maybe it’s a nit-picky point but nitpickiness needs to be there when it comes to worldbuilding.
Also sometimes the plot seemed to halt to pick up a subplot that miiiiight be a bit better to savor and grow tension to (like Hazel finding their dad should’ve or could’ve been stretched out. And then them bonding with their dad and learning to forgive their dad shoulda taken time since I can imagine after years of being told a certain guy sucks and having the proof that he left you would make you weary abt forgiveness).
Also formatting of the book (like font, line space, paragraph alignment) was a little wonky, but that can easily be fixed with an editor.
Regardless, it was a nice book to read just not spellbinding in any way. I LOVED the casual representation, though—we need that more in books. So that’s definitely a bonus. And while there are some grievances I have, I’ll most likely still pick up the second and third book when they release in order to help a small creator.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2021
Such a wonderful read!
The characters are so fleshed-out and each have a unique flair that you are instantly drawn to them and what roles they play. Totally biased for Hazel. Their outlook on life in general, I think is one more people should try to subscribe to. It's inspiring to see healthy relationships portrayed so lovingly, and so accurately that it's hard not to empathize, if not identify, with more than one perspective in a conflict. The plot in its totality is well paced and structured soundly, and I was engaged with just about every character that made an appearance; emotions ran high in quite a few places! The world building is air-tight and so much fun to explore, it's really a breath of fresh air.
The whole book is such a joy, and if just reading it wasn't enough to want more and thus a second book; the cliffhanger did not disappoint!
The characters are so fleshed-out and each have a unique flair that you are instantly drawn to them and what roles they play. Totally biased for Hazel. Their outlook on life in general, I think is one more people should try to subscribe to. It's inspiring to see healthy relationships portrayed so lovingly, and so accurately that it's hard not to empathize, if not identify, with more than one perspective in a conflict. The plot in its totality is well paced and structured soundly, and I was engaged with just about every character that made an appearance; emotions ran high in quite a few places! The world building is air-tight and so much fun to explore, it's really a breath of fresh air.
The whole book is such a joy, and if just reading it wasn't enough to want more and thus a second book; the cliffhanger did not disappoint!
December 17, 2021
I'm writing this review less as a reader and more as someone who worked very closely with Ms. Quinn. I'm a sensitivity reader and I was helping her determine whether or not Arael is written to be accurately autistic. Throughout the entire process, she has been nothing but kind and given me the space to express my personal experiences. Just based on the feedback she gathered from me over the course of the first book, I am sure that the next few books are going to be an absolutely triumph in terms of autistic representation.
Now, as a READER, I LOVED this book and I am SO excited for the second book to come out next fall. Every piece of this story interlocks so well. You can tell that Ms. Quinn really put time and effort into the worldbuilding. I'm thrilled and delighted by the characters and story. Just- READ THIS BOOK! It is more than worth your time.
Now, as a READER, I LOVED this book and I am SO excited for the second book to come out next fall. Every piece of this story interlocks so well. You can tell that Ms. Quinn really put time and effort into the worldbuilding. I'm thrilled and delighted by the characters and story. Just- READ THIS BOOK! It is more than worth your time.
December 4, 2021
If you love compelling stories, charming characters and an amazing fantasy world, then this book is for you! Highly recommend everyone to check it out.
April 11, 2023
Okay first, I love Riley Quinn. I follow her art on Instagram and was so excited when I finally got the book.
To say I did not enjoy the book will be an understatement. I loved the characters in her art and was so excited to meet them, but the book felt too rushed. In one small paragraph the ml had already travelled and spent a week in a new place. It was too quick, no developments. I feel like this is the book you give a child to help them move from picture books to novels because it’s that simple. It feels more like a storyboard book than an actual novel.
But it has SO much potential. The diversity, the plot everything it’s so interesting but it fell so flat. I think someone should rewrite it, because Riley has such good ideas, but I don’t think she executed them well.
This book is great for a quick fun read, but if you’re really into fantasy novels with details and developments, this book is not for you.
To say I did not enjoy the book will be an understatement. I loved the characters in her art and was so excited to meet them, but the book felt too rushed. In one small paragraph the ml had already travelled and spent a week in a new place. It was too quick, no developments. I feel like this is the book you give a child to help them move from picture books to novels because it’s that simple. It feels more like a storyboard book than an actual novel.
But it has SO much potential. The diversity, the plot everything it’s so interesting but it fell so flat. I think someone should rewrite it, because Riley has such good ideas, but I don’t think she executed them well.
This book is great for a quick fun read, but if you’re really into fantasy novels with details and developments, this book is not for you.
May 7, 2022
Absolutely loved all the characters. They breathed so much life into the world. I wasn't too sure about the writing style at first but it grew on me, and the dialogue had me cackling in almost every chapter (how dare you be so funny). Can't wait for book two!
November 11, 2022
Overall a great book. I cant wait for the second one! 4 stars only because at some points the plot seemed a bit rushed and confusing. I fell in love with these characters, and crushed to find the cliffhanger at the end! Cant wait to dig into the next one
June 25, 2024
(2.75)
Like most people, I followed the author for a while pre-purchase, so I was hyped up on the quality art work and the promises made on IG. I would love to be supportive, but I can’t do the “no saying anything bad for the sake of not hurting people’s feelings” so I gotta admit the promises of complexity fell flat. (I empathize with the difficulty of writing books since I’m a writer myself, so no hate to her ofc, I’m just being honest).
First off, this book is middle grade level, not YA. I’m an adult who still enjoys a lot of middle grade books (because some of them are That Damn Good) but this one isn’t quite there. She clearly has a very specific vision in her head that a middle grade reader would enjoy, which is fine, but I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone looking for actual YA because it lacks the qualities of a YA age range book.
It’s also heavily stylized in a comic/animation/graphic novel way that doesn’t fit a written novel. The comedy and the dialogue shows this the most, it seems like she pictured it to be animated and didn’t transfer the detail of the animation to the page. There’s not a lot of description, frequent errors (common for indie books) and it was hard to read at points because it gets dense.
It showed evidence of needing a second draft and reworking before it was actually published. Probably a round or two of beta readers and some editing from people who don’t know the author and can critique it from afar.
The plot is slow and character focused, which is fine, but it seemed more like a prequel than the first book in a series. The world building is loose as well. I enjoyed the characters but I feel like they’d show through more if the book were edited (especially through the comic stylization, I don’t know how else to explain it but it made everyone do similar comedic things for the sake of it).
Small world building nitpicks: there’s random Spanish in this book but no Spain/South American Spanish-speaking countries. They reference The Little Mermaid with Arael’s name (btw I don’t know how else it would be pronounced other than Ariel aka air-eee-ull. Are-ray-ull???) but there’s no Disney. Feels like a world building slip that’s easy to fix but the author didn’t put the thought into incorporating these in so they’re just holes.
Things I liked (because there are parts I did like): lots of queer rep. Queer people everywhere and it’s mostly normal (except when Arael notes that a man seems to be gay. In a world where it’s normalized, he wouldn’t have a moment of being like “Oh that man Likes Men” because if that were normal, the thought process would be “good, my flirting is working” rather than something to note). I liked there being non-binary protagonist since I’m non-binary myself. Some of the humor was fun and I liked the characters enough.
It’s an intriguing premise but it should have been edited/rewritten before publishing (I indie published too, I get it, it’s hard) so the story could shine through better. OR it should have been a graphic novel. I think it would have been a lot better as a graphic novel so it could play to the author’s strengths better. She clearly has a vision for it to be animated based on her art
Like most people, I followed the author for a while pre-purchase, so I was hyped up on the quality art work and the promises made on IG. I would love to be supportive, but I can’t do the “no saying anything bad for the sake of not hurting people’s feelings” so I gotta admit the promises of complexity fell flat. (I empathize with the difficulty of writing books since I’m a writer myself, so no hate to her ofc, I’m just being honest).
First off, this book is middle grade level, not YA. I’m an adult who still enjoys a lot of middle grade books (because some of them are That Damn Good) but this one isn’t quite there. She clearly has a very specific vision in her head that a middle grade reader would enjoy, which is fine, but I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone looking for actual YA because it lacks the qualities of a YA age range book.
It’s also heavily stylized in a comic/animation/graphic novel way that doesn’t fit a written novel. The comedy and the dialogue shows this the most, it seems like she pictured it to be animated and didn’t transfer the detail of the animation to the page. There’s not a lot of description, frequent errors (common for indie books) and it was hard to read at points because it gets dense.
It showed evidence of needing a second draft and reworking before it was actually published. Probably a round or two of beta readers and some editing from people who don’t know the author and can critique it from afar.
The plot is slow and character focused, which is fine, but it seemed more like a prequel than the first book in a series. The world building is loose as well. I enjoyed the characters but I feel like they’d show through more if the book were edited (especially through the comic stylization, I don’t know how else to explain it but it made everyone do similar comedic things for the sake of it).
Small world building nitpicks: there’s random Spanish in this book but no Spain/South American Spanish-speaking countries. They reference The Little Mermaid with Arael’s name (btw I don’t know how else it would be pronounced other than Ariel aka air-eee-ull. Are-ray-ull???) but there’s no Disney. Feels like a world building slip that’s easy to fix but the author didn’t put the thought into incorporating these in so they’re just holes.
Things I liked (because there are parts I did like): lots of queer rep. Queer people everywhere and it’s mostly normal (except when Arael notes that a man seems to be gay. In a world where it’s normalized, he wouldn’t have a moment of being like “Oh that man Likes Men” because if that were normal, the thought process would be “good, my flirting is working” rather than something to note). I liked there being non-binary protagonist since I’m non-binary myself. Some of the humor was fun and I liked the characters enough.
It’s an intriguing premise but it should have been edited/rewritten before publishing (I indie published too, I get it, it’s hard) so the story could shine through better. OR it should have been a graphic novel. I think it would have been a lot better as a graphic novel so it could play to the author’s strengths better. She clearly has a vision for it to be animated based on her art
December 11, 2021
I WANT THE SECOND BOOK IN MY HANDS
This fantasy drama tells the story of Prince Areal, Thalia and so many other endearing and diverse characters…in multiple different, magical worlds. I won’t give any spoilers, and normally I’m not a fantasy fan.
I picked up this book because I got addicted to the characters on Insta. My favorite genres to read are history, and historical fiction. Fantasy falls is a very different category, but the fantasy in this book was so much fun to imagine and ride along with.
This book succeeded in making all the characters lovable for me... even their parents and their pets!
The world Riley S. Quinn created is so rich and colorful, happy and hopeful and full of light. I truly enjoyed reading about the lands of Creativity, Knowledge Terrace and and the Subconscious. I suspect there’s a fair amount of the author in the ideas of perfection, pressure, romance and love. I want to delve more into this world when the next book comes out.
Maybe after this book I will start reading more fantasy. Maybe. Or maybe I will reread some parts of this book. Anyway, till the next one!
This fantasy drama tells the story of Prince Areal, Thalia and so many other endearing and diverse characters…in multiple different, magical worlds. I won’t give any spoilers, and normally I’m not a fantasy fan.
I picked up this book because I got addicted to the characters on Insta. My favorite genres to read are history, and historical fiction. Fantasy falls is a very different category, but the fantasy in this book was so much fun to imagine and ride along with.
This book succeeded in making all the characters lovable for me... even their parents and their pets!
The world Riley S. Quinn created is so rich and colorful, happy and hopeful and full of light. I truly enjoyed reading about the lands of Creativity, Knowledge Terrace and and the Subconscious. I suspect there’s a fair amount of the author in the ideas of perfection, pressure, romance and love. I want to delve more into this world when the next book comes out.
Maybe after this book I will start reading more fantasy. Maybe. Or maybe I will reread some parts of this book. Anyway, till the next one!
January 25, 2022
Fantasy is not my go to genre, but the art (@rielyquinnart on Instagram) for this book was so intriguing that I had to read it! The author does a fantastic job at creating worlds in which to place her interesting characters. Although ultimately it is the relationship building in this book that demands you to keep turning the page. There are so many dynamic relationships, but I particularly like the one between Hazel and Areal. I think that relationship is one to which so many people can relate because it is pure friendship. I could read an entire series on them alone. Another relationship I think deserves a spin-off, and I am hoping get highlighted in book two, is that between Anya and Areal. Anyone who has a brother knows this was a great representation of the sibling dynamic. I find that the world building and storytelling in this book is geared towards an artistic and visual mind, and I think this book would be really enjoyable and well represented in a comic or web-toon format. I think it would be great to see the combined artistic and writing talents of this author in one or both of those formats! Looking forward to book two!
June 17, 2022
This book was phenomenal! It had been a while since I have read a book that was so endearing as this book here. The world building is amazing. The ideas work so well, and the lore gets introduced in such a humorous off hand way that it doesn’t even feel like info dumping the way that most fantasy books usually struggle to do. I’m honestly curious for more lore, but if you are, the author has an Instagram that’s such a great companion to the book! The main characters are so charming that I don’t think there was a single character I disliked. The plot was beautifully paced and what I like most about it is how realistic it is despite the world that it exists in. Like 20 years olds can be leaders but they’re still figuring stuff out and they won’t always act like adults! And that’s okay! That theme was predominant throughout the plot which I really enjoyed in addition the diversity. And that ending was flawless! I cannot wait to read the next one.
Read
December 30, 2024DNF 48%
While I was really excited for this book, I think it was shot in the foot by the marketing.
The author’s marketing materials portray a dramatic story with a magic item chosen one, facing off against a great evil. There’s an implication of the past chosen one and a mystery around what happened to them, tense and complex character relationships, and an adventure around the world to stop the darkness on the rise. Unfortunately, that’s not what the book provides. I found it meandering and slow, setting up the main plot and conflict only to spend most of the book ignoring it. I never felt like anything was a stake and because the characters felt so childish and flat I couldn’t find myself to care save for Thalia and Arael who get a lot of focus in the marketing for their love story. The pacing and even writing style left me feeling this would be better suited to a TV show, especially with the shallow and childish conflicts characters that are grown adults find themselves.
While I was really excited for this book, I think it was shot in the foot by the marketing.
The author’s marketing materials portray a dramatic story with a magic item chosen one, facing off against a great evil. There’s an implication of the past chosen one and a mystery around what happened to them, tense and complex character relationships, and an adventure around the world to stop the darkness on the rise. Unfortunately, that’s not what the book provides. I found it meandering and slow, setting up the main plot and conflict only to spend most of the book ignoring it. I never felt like anything was a stake and because the characters felt so childish and flat I couldn’t find myself to care save for Thalia and Arael who get a lot of focus in the marketing for their love story. The pacing and even writing style left me feeling this would be better suited to a TV show, especially with the shallow and childish conflicts characters that are grown adults find themselves.
October 3, 2022
I LOVE this book!! I’ve been looking forward to reading it since I first came across Riley Quinn’s instagram page last September. I immediately fell in love with the characters, and couldn’t wait to read the first book. Well now I’ve finally gotten the chance! I’m actually listening to the audiobook, which is incredibly narrated by Riley Quinn herself, and I’m enjoying it so much. The characters, the dialogue, the wonderful descriptions of The Conscious, I love it all. It’s amazing to finally hear the story of the world I’ve fallen in love with through Riley Quinn’s art and worldbuilding. And the casual queer representation is wonderful! From Hazel’s moms to their pronouns, Anyah’s crush on Sheela, and other casual mentions of queer romance, it’s really nice to see. I’m a picky rater, and I rarely actually give things 5 stars, but The Pendant of Hyacinth deserves all 5!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2022
Now I'll start this off with that I'm not much of a book reader and I decided to try and change that this book being the first one I read. Personally though I love this book! It took me some time to get through it since I haven't read much books before, but reading it was really entertaining! Reading the characters interact was super fun and it never really felt out of place or forced. I am about the same age as Hazel and though I am alot more reserved and less adventurous than them I am really happy with how they were portrayed. The representation in this book is splendid! There is so many characters with all kinds of different backgrounds and quite frankly this really does make me wanna actually put my own characters' stories down on paper! Highly recommend!
December 31, 2022
I, like most readers of this book, discovered this through Riley’s impeccable art. I fell in love with her art and depictions of the characters in the story! So I had to read it! I finished it not too long ago and I throughly enjoyed it! I found the characters to be very endearing and each had great characterization! I particularly enjoyed Jackalo’s character a lot. I found him fun and the snarkiness complimented Arael well!
The plot I thought was slow at first but soon picked up and left me wanting more! (I still need to read the second!) Riley’s use of imagery and world building made the plot and overall experience more enjoyable!
This book I feel is perfect for younger readers and anyone who loves a little whimsy! If you enjoy fantasy, you may enjoy Pendant of Hyacinth!
The plot I thought was slow at first but soon picked up and left me wanting more! (I still need to read the second!) Riley’s use of imagery and world building made the plot and overall experience more enjoyable!
This book I feel is perfect for younger readers and anyone who loves a little whimsy! If you enjoy fantasy, you may enjoy Pendant of Hyacinth!
April 9, 2022
I love this book so very very much. It’s going to be one book that I recommend for ages. I loved the characters and their relationships with each other. Realistic siblings relationship anyone? The plot has me hooked. It’s so fascinating, just like the world of the pendant of hyacinth. Different clans, traditions, and ways of life made it that much better. The book had some pretty unexpected twists in there too. I love the different struggles that each of the protagonists is going through. I love how there are some complicated characters that I can like and dislike at the same time. And also a character that I can just hate on because Jay is a real piece of work.
December 16, 2021
The characters are so lovely and fun to read about, the word looks awesome and i wish i could even visit it! The story got me attached from the beginning, i couldnt put the book down, and when i did, i kept thinking of the next moment i would continue reading it. The chapters are good lenght, never too long, never too shorts, and i absolutely love this in books. I am very excited to read the future sequel!
January 8, 2022
Decided to read this book after finding Riley’s Instagram where she posts illustrations of her characters (that’s @rileyquinnarts for y’all who are interested *wink wink*).
I love love LOVED this book! I loved getting to know Arael, Thalia and Hazel better and the side characters are also so well developed.
This book was also the first I’ve read in ages and I’m so glad it was. Looking forward to Book 2!
I love love LOVED this book! I loved getting to know Arael, Thalia and Hazel better and the side characters are also so well developed.
This book was also the first I’ve read in ages and I’m so glad it was. Looking forward to Book 2!
March 20, 2024
It's cute, but definitely feels like something I tried to write in middle school. I decided to read the book because of the depictions of the characters on Quinn's instagram page (beautiful, by the way, highly recommend taking a look at them @rileyquinnart).
That being said, she's more an artist than a writer, which is NOT A BAD THING. I love her ideas and her characters and the LGBTQ representation without it being central to the plot.
That being said, she's more an artist than a writer, which is NOT A BAD THING. I love her ideas and her characters and the LGBTQ representation without it being central to the plot.
January 1, 2025
I adore the author’s characters on her Instagram, but actually reading the story they’re from is…a bit of a letdown. There is SO MUCH telling - so much so that lots happens on a single page but I end up being bored af. The dialogue also feels stiff and awkward, and the worldbuilding, while cool and unique, doesn’t really work in prose form. This really would have been better suited as a webcomic, but barring that, /several/ more passes with a pro editor before publication.
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