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The Severed Realms Trilogy #1
Autumn's Tithe
Every girl in Ballamor dreams of being chosen by the fey. For some, because the fey promise to deliver them to the beautiful faery realm. For Larken, because her closest friend was chosen the previous year. She tries to accept her fate—until she discovers that her friend is in danger and the promise of eternal joy amongst the fey could be a lie. Larken breaks the sacred covenant between humans and fey and enters the faery realm to find her friend. Her only ally is Finder, a faery prince of the Autumn Court who now owes her a debt after she unwittingly saves his life. Their bond is both the key to her survival... and possibly her downfall. Underneath the glittering façade of the faery realm seethes a shadowy pact writ in blood, betrayal, and lust for power at any cost. A tithe must be paid by each of the Courts of Airodion. Both Finder and Larken’s people face retribution if the tithe goes unpaid, and their bond could destroy the foundation of the courts—and the human world—forever. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, book one of this new fantasy series will captivate readers until the very last page.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2021
93 people are currently reading
8149 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Parker
3 books230 followersHannah Parker was born and raised in Oklahoma. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Oklahoma State University, and her fiction won overall first place for the Katherine Paterson Prize for Young Adult Literature in the Journal Hunger Mountain.
When not writing, Hannah can be found drinking coffee, reading, or competing in the hunter ring with her horse. Hannah currently lives in Oklahoma with her cat, dogs, and horses.
When not writing, Hannah can be found drinking coffee, reading, or competing in the hunter ring with her horse. Hannah currently lives in Oklahoma with her cat, dogs, and horses.
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September 6, 2021only adding this because I deserve to have it count towards my reading goal when I've read it a million times. it's ok I guess.
April 30, 2022
I couldn’t deal with this book. I honestly couldn’t get over how unprofessional the story was written and how childish our main character was. While the worldbuilding was the saving grace of my sanity, it was held on very thinly.
August 15, 2021
Wow! what an absolute ride!
Plot: The plot was super interesting and it actually did end up surprising me at the ending. IM SHOOK!!! I didn’t know where it was gonna go at the beginning but it was very solid.
Characters: WOW WOW WOW!! the range of diversity in this cast!! love love love. I have to say Remira and Madden were my personal faves (other than Larken). Remira was such a badass b*tch!! but Madden had my heart breaking over his whole story. Larken is a GREAT main character, I like how she’s not like every other ‘perfect’ and confident main character. All these characters were very complex!!
Overall I really loved the banter and the twists!! I can’t wait for the next book because...THAT CLIFFHANGER!! ummmm byeeee i guess xx
Plot: The plot was super interesting and it actually did end up surprising me at the ending. IM SHOOK!!! I didn’t know where it was gonna go at the beginning but it was very solid.
Characters: WOW WOW WOW!! the range of diversity in this cast!! love love love. I have to say Remira and Madden were my personal faves (other than Larken). Remira was such a badass b*tch!! but Madden had my heart breaking over his whole story. Larken is a GREAT main character, I like how she’s not like every other ‘perfect’ and confident main character. All these characters were very complex!!
Overall I really loved the banter and the twists!! I can’t wait for the next book because...THAT CLIFFHANGER!! ummmm byeeee i guess xx
January 23, 2022
DNF at page 68.
I had a hard time with this book simply cause of the fat phobia. If you’re gonna have a plus-sized MC, please don’t make her beat up on herself for being big within the first few pages.
“The faery lord still has to choose you. And he doesn’t pick people who look like you” -this is Larken’s internal thoughts.
Then just two pages later her best friend gives her a backhanded insult- “my body’s changed since we were girls. I have a real chance now.” Larken recoiled at her words, at the hidden insult in them.
There may have been more, but that’s what I can recall readily. It’s just exhausting to read books with plus sized MCs and see them and everybody around them hating their body. It just makes you feel bad about yourself while reading when a character who looks like you is down on themselves and other people are hating on them for their size.
I was really excited about the story and the story seems really interesting, but the body image references just put me in a bad headspace.
I had a hard time with this book simply cause of the fat phobia. If you’re gonna have a plus-sized MC, please don’t make her beat up on herself for being big within the first few pages.
“The faery lord still has to choose you. And he doesn’t pick people who look like you” -this is Larken’s internal thoughts.
Then just two pages later her best friend gives her a backhanded insult- “my body’s changed since we were girls. I have a real chance now.” Larken recoiled at her words, at the hidden insult in them.
There may have been more, but that’s what I can recall readily. It’s just exhausting to read books with plus sized MCs and see them and everybody around them hating their body. It just makes you feel bad about yourself while reading when a character who looks like you is down on themselves and other people are hating on them for their size.
I was really excited about the story and the story seems really interesting, but the body image references just put me in a bad headspace.
April 10, 2022
Ugh. I’m so disappointed by this book. I’m going to give it 3 stars, though, mostly in an effort to justify my intention to keep the gorgeous Bookish Box edition i received.
But the plot? Meandering. There was a section in the middle where things actually started happening and I was invested. But the first 150 pages or so draaaaaag as we receive an infodump about everything from the fey world to Larken’s relationship with her (apparent) BFF.
The characters? Strange. Finder is literally a murderer but we’re supposed to feel okay about this because he was forced to do it. Larken is the Mary Suest of the Mary Sues. She has no discernible talent or wit, and she’s basically along for the ride as an excuse to infodump. The most bizarre part is where she’s in a dream sequence and imagines herself skinny and tall and can’t get over how beautiful she is. Okay, but, we’re in the 21st century, friends. We don’t think (or write) like this anymore?
The narrative? Tropey. This is basically a smorgasbord of tropes. Including the one at the end that sets up the next in the series.
Which… I GUESS I will read. But only if BB puts out an equally-stunning edition.
But the plot? Meandering. There was a section in the middle where things actually started happening and I was invested. But the first 150 pages or so draaaaaag as we receive an infodump about everything from the fey world to Larken’s relationship with her (apparent) BFF.
The characters? Strange. Finder is literally a murderer but we’re supposed to feel okay about this because he was forced to do it. Larken is the Mary Suest of the Mary Sues. She has no discernible talent or wit, and she’s basically along for the ride as an excuse to infodump. The most bizarre part is where she’s in a dream sequence and imagines herself skinny and tall and can’t get over how beautiful she is. Okay, but, we’re in the 21st century, friends. We don’t think (or write) like this anymore?
The narrative? Tropey. This is basically a smorgasbord of tropes. Including the one at the end that sets up the next in the series.
Which… I GUESS I will read. But only if BB puts out an equally-stunning edition.
November 2, 2021
Updated review:
I finished it YOU GUYS. Only took me forever lol okay more like a couple weeks but still! This book was so refreshing and such a new take on tropes and all things fey that we haven’t seen before!
Hannah did a wonderful job creating her own world with Courts some of us feel very close too! She totally made them her own and I loved it!
Just a heads up, this book is not for the faint of heart, for blood will be spilled. Like—lots of blood lol
I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a good fey read & adventure!
….though I’m still bitter about a certain character..and a certain SCENE….my heart will never recover.
You have no freaking clue how excited I am for this book.
I CANNOT WAIT YOU GUYS.
I finished it YOU GUYS. Only took me forever lol okay more like a couple weeks but still! This book was so refreshing and such a new take on tropes and all things fey that we haven’t seen before!
Hannah did a wonderful job creating her own world with Courts some of us feel very close too! She totally made them her own and I loved it!
Just a heads up, this book is not for the faint of heart, for blood will be spilled. Like—lots of blood lol
I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a good fey read & adventure!
….though I’m still bitter about a certain character..and a certain SCENE….my heart will never recover.
You have no freaking clue how excited I am for this book.
I CANNOT WAIT YOU GUYS.
January 10, 2022
Incredibly frustrating writing style. Even if you can get past that, the characters have no real development and it’s hard to connect with them. All the twists that should make you emotional fall flat. I’m giving it 2 stars because the idea was good, but the execution was not.
July 7, 2021
First thoughts? WHEN DOES THE SEQUEL COME OUT!!!! Because I need it. Now. The author does a phenomenal job of bringing a fresh and unique blend of world building and character perspective in a genre that’s rife with the same archetypes overdone tropes, especially when it comes to fae. The MC, Larkin, isn’t your typical YA heroine, and I loved that about her. She’s so relatable, but has her own brand of courage and grit that becomes more apparent the more the story progresses, and I became so attached to her and invested in her journey! I loved the different members of the dornan, their characters were so distinct, but very well developed and nuanced. The ending had all of the twists and turns I love (the unexpected always makes things more fun), and the author wove the plot together brilliantly, the flow of the story was natural, and I could not be more excited for Book 2!!!!!!
March 31, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
This book had so much potential that it didn't quite live up to. The plot was interesting and so were the characters, the writing - whilst in need of a polish - was enjoyable, and the world building had grand intentions.
I wish that it was longer, had more detail put in and more attention paid to the execution of the timeline, to the character progression, and to the execution of the plot.
I wanted to love the characters but we didn't really get to know them deeply, our every interaction with them felt rushed and formulaic. I wanted to see the world and experience its every nuance but the descriptions were haphazard and inconsistent: a chunk of detail here and there with gaps in between.
I think this book also wavered a fair bit between YA and NA to a level that confused me. 90%-95% of the content was super YA friendly, but then there were random sharp turns into more NA themes (masturbation, sex, fairly descriptive violence amongst others). Felt a bit inconsistent to me but maybe I am being overly picky.
I didn't not enjoy this story, I just found it a little hard to read, largely because I kept expecting more and then being disappointed when more was not delivered. That being said, the ending was interesting enough to me that I will likely read the next book when it comes out.
Side note: the MC being fat was not handled badly however it felt in need of more love. I don't hate that Larken had to learn to love herself and that she was plagued with doubts - what 17yr old isn't - but I think we have learned by now that we can just write fat as enough from the beginning.
Editing to add because I forgot: there was also this whole ableist arc that made me a bit uncomfortable. I don’t think it was intentionally written to be ableist but the whole thing with Saja’s breathing issues wasn’t handled super well imo.
This book had so much potential that it didn't quite live up to. The plot was interesting and so were the characters, the writing - whilst in need of a polish - was enjoyable, and the world building had grand intentions.
I wish that it was longer, had more detail put in and more attention paid to the execution of the timeline, to the character progression, and to the execution of the plot.
I wanted to love the characters but we didn't really get to know them deeply, our every interaction with them felt rushed and formulaic. I wanted to see the world and experience its every nuance but the descriptions were haphazard and inconsistent: a chunk of detail here and there with gaps in between.
I think this book also wavered a fair bit between YA and NA to a level that confused me. 90%-95% of the content was super YA friendly, but then there were random sharp turns into more NA themes (masturbation, sex, fairly descriptive violence amongst others). Felt a bit inconsistent to me but maybe I am being overly picky.
I didn't not enjoy this story, I just found it a little hard to read, largely because I kept expecting more and then being disappointed when more was not delivered. That being said, the ending was interesting enough to me that I will likely read the next book when it comes out.
Side note: the MC being fat was not handled badly however it felt in need of more love. I don't hate that Larken had to learn to love herself and that she was plagued with doubts - what 17yr old isn't - but I think we have learned by now that we can just write fat as enough from the beginning.
Editing to add because I forgot: there was also this whole ableist arc that made me a bit uncomfortable. I don’t think it was intentionally written to be ableist but the whole thing with Saja’s breathing issues wasn’t handled super well imo.
January 22, 2022
5 Stars for bookish edition, 1 star for what’s inside it.
Want to read
June 9, 2021SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK!
September can't come soon enough!
September can't come soon enough!
January 11, 2022
I made it to 210 pages out of 300, so I am going to mark it as read. Two stars since I did make it through that much. I was really hoping that while I hadn't been so drawn in with the book from the start, that the end would cinch it for me. But while I was checking how many pages I had left (I know that's a dangerous thing to do while reading.), I saw that last twist on the final pages. It was exactly what I saw coming, and that made it so boring.
I'm glad I saw it because I would have been even more frustrated had I actually finished. I think the romance is going to be a great burn though, I probably just won't see it. Bookish Box did such a pretty edition for this book, so I'm even more regretful that I disliked it so much.
I'm glad I saw it because I would have been even more frustrated had I actually finished. I think the romance is going to be a great burn though, I probably just won't see it. Bookish Box did such a pretty edition for this book, so I'm even more regretful that I disliked it so much.
May 3, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
*audiobook*
I have mixed feelings about this book. While I loved the plot and the side characters, the female main character really annoyed me.
Once a year, a bridge between the fey and human realms opens up for 7 days to allow a fey lord to come chose a human girl to take back with him. Larken’s best friend was chosen the previous year, and after she isn’t picked in the next Choosing ceremony, Larken sneaks across the border herself to find her friend. Larken also starts to realize that maybe the human girls are taken for malicious reasons. She follows the fey lord and the human girl into the faerie realm and ends up inadvertently saving the fey lord’s life, and therefor setting into motion a life debt between them.
The good:
- I really liked Finder and his dornán. I love when characters are just so tight knit and bonded, so I really enjoyed reading about them. They each had their strengths and weaknesses, and I really felt they were more developed than the main character (Larken).
- This book also has my favorite trope (there’s only one horse) so that’s a plus.
- I also really enjoyed the plot. Everything is pretty fast paced, and a lot happens in the book. I like when books are set up with the characters on some type of mission, and this book definitely fits that category. The ending also had a good setup for the next book.
The not so good:
- I could not get myself to like the female main character, Larken. She starts out as an immature girl with little to no confidence, so I was expecting some personal growth. But honestly not that much happened. Larken’s one thing that she’s confident in and that she feels she can contribute to the group is her navigation skills, and she volunteers to lead them through the labyrinth. Except they get caught. So the one thing she’s confident in she doesn’t even accomplish. That to me is just a writing flaw, like give the girl something. 😭 I disliked her more and more as the book went on, and she started to annoy me a lot. She encouraged the group to take the short cut through the labyrinth and then tried to blame it all on Finder when it went wrong. Like girl, you convinced the rest of the group it was a good idea?! She was just so back and forth. Like “Let’s blame Finder for everything!��� And then 2 seconds later “we can’t blame Finder for everything!” Like damn girl MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
- I also don’t like how the plus size rep was done in this book. The female MC (Larken) is plus size, and her body is one of the reasons she lacks confidence in herself. Later in the book Larken dreams that she has the body of a fey, and there’s a quote that says “…she could make herself beautiful by being a good person—a good human.” As in her physical appearance in her human (plus size) body can’t make her beautiful?? Idk, that really didn’t sit well with me. The book made it seem like you can’t be physically beautiful if you’re plus size, and that you have to have a good personality to make up for it. 🙄
-This is also a Young Adult book, but some of the scenes felt very out of place for how mature they were. Specifically the scene where the guys are looking at art that compares their ~assets~. It felt so uncomfortable in a YA book.
These are just observations that didn’t influence my rating but I wanted to point them out:
- I thought this book was going to have romance and it really didn’t. Like there was a barely-there spark between Larken and Finder, and nothing happened between them.
- And there are some torture scenes that are described in pretty graphic detail. I don’t personally mind it but it felt pretty mature for a YA book.
*audiobook*
I have mixed feelings about this book. While I loved the plot and the side characters, the female main character really annoyed me.
Once a year, a bridge between the fey and human realms opens up for 7 days to allow a fey lord to come chose a human girl to take back with him. Larken’s best friend was chosen the previous year, and after she isn’t picked in the next Choosing ceremony, Larken sneaks across the border herself to find her friend. Larken also starts to realize that maybe the human girls are taken for malicious reasons. She follows the fey lord and the human girl into the faerie realm and ends up inadvertently saving the fey lord’s life, and therefor setting into motion a life debt between them.
The good:
- I really liked Finder and his dornán. I love when characters are just so tight knit and bonded, so I really enjoyed reading about them. They each had their strengths and weaknesses, and I really felt they were more developed than the main character (Larken).
- This book also has my favorite trope (there’s only one horse) so that’s a plus.
- I also really enjoyed the plot. Everything is pretty fast paced, and a lot happens in the book. I like when books are set up with the characters on some type of mission, and this book definitely fits that category. The ending also had a good setup for the next book.
The not so good:
- I could not get myself to like the female main character, Larken. She starts out as an immature girl with little to no confidence, so I was expecting some personal growth. But honestly not that much happened. Larken’s one thing that she’s confident in and that she feels she can contribute to the group is her navigation skills, and she volunteers to lead them through the labyrinth. Except they get caught. So the one thing she’s confident in she doesn’t even accomplish. That to me is just a writing flaw, like give the girl something. 😭 I disliked her more and more as the book went on, and she started to annoy me a lot. She encouraged the group to take the short cut through the labyrinth and then tried to blame it all on Finder when it went wrong. Like girl, you convinced the rest of the group it was a good idea?! She was just so back and forth. Like “Let’s blame Finder for everything!��� And then 2 seconds later “we can’t blame Finder for everything!” Like damn girl MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
- I also don’t like how the plus size rep was done in this book. The female MC (Larken) is plus size, and her body is one of the reasons she lacks confidence in herself. Later in the book Larken dreams that she has the body of a fey, and there’s a quote that says “…she could make herself beautiful by being a good person—a good human.” As in her physical appearance in her human (plus size) body can’t make her beautiful?? Idk, that really didn’t sit well with me. The book made it seem like you can’t be physically beautiful if you’re plus size, and that you have to have a good personality to make up for it. 🙄
-This is also a Young Adult book, but some of the scenes felt very out of place for how mature they were. Specifically the scene where the guys are looking at art that compares their ~assets~. It felt so uncomfortable in a YA book.
These are just observations that didn’t influence my rating but I wanted to point them out:
- I thought this book was going to have romance and it really didn’t. Like there was a barely-there spark between Larken and Finder, and nothing happened between them.
- And there are some torture scenes that are described in pretty graphic detail. I don’t personally mind it but it felt pretty mature for a YA book.
April 23, 2024
Plot? I don’t know her.
Character development? Perish the thought.
Personality? No, thank-you.
Literally this book was so boring I dnfd at 48%. Nothing had happened. The beginning started off semi promising but wow. It just went downhill into flames so fast after that.
Also the love interest’s name is Finder.
Enough said. What is he looking for? A personality, I assume.
Character development? Perish the thought.
Personality? No, thank-you.
Literally this book was so boring I dnfd at 48%. Nothing had happened. The beginning started off semi promising but wow. It just went downhill into flames so fast after that.
Also the love interest’s name is Finder.
Enough said. What is he looking for? A personality, I assume.
January 26, 2022
“Autumn’s Tithe” has a great concept and interesting world building, choosing to take a darker approach to the fae than most of the current fantasy books tend to.
Unfortunately, the characters and plot all feel extremely one dimensional. At no point in the book did I feel a connection to any of the characters. There were no scenes that helped develop the characters’ relationships with each other, and thus few scenes for the reader’s to connect with them.
Even the death of a main character lacked to illicit any real emotions from me because we got very few scenes with him. We were told his story, but never shown his character, and so the scene left one feeling nothing as they flipped to the next page.
Additionally, the entire book felt like it had been stripped down to the barest bones, only the most necessary scenes. Since “Autumn’s Tithe” is the first book of a trilogy, this seems like an unusual decision. Stand-alone novels need to make sure every page, every word, counts. But with a series, there’s more room to flesh out your characters and your story, especially in the first book.
Had “Autumn’s Tithe” taken a little more time to explore its characters, all of whom should have been interesting, it would have been a stronger book. I also believe it would have been stronger if more of the world building had been done by showing it to us in descriptions rather than endless info-dumping conversations between the human character and one of her fae companions.
In summary, “Autumn’s Tithe” showed great promise for a darker story, but ultimately it felt lackluster and was kind of a disappointment. The characters felt flat and there was too much telling rather than showing.
Unfortunately, the characters and plot all feel extremely one dimensional. At no point in the book did I feel a connection to any of the characters. There were no scenes that helped develop the characters’ relationships with each other, and thus few scenes for the reader’s to connect with them.
Even the death of a main character lacked to illicit any real emotions from me because we got very few scenes with him. We were told his story, but never shown his character, and so the scene left one feeling nothing as they flipped to the next page.
Additionally, the entire book felt like it had been stripped down to the barest bones, only the most necessary scenes. Since “Autumn’s Tithe” is the first book of a trilogy, this seems like an unusual decision. Stand-alone novels need to make sure every page, every word, counts. But with a series, there’s more room to flesh out your characters and your story, especially in the first book.
Had “Autumn’s Tithe” taken a little more time to explore its characters, all of whom should have been interesting, it would have been a stronger book. I also believe it would have been stronger if more of the world building had been done by showing it to us in descriptions rather than endless info-dumping conversations between the human character and one of her fae companions.
In summary, “Autumn’s Tithe” showed great promise for a darker story, but ultimately it felt lackluster and was kind of a disappointment. The characters felt flat and there was too much telling rather than showing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2022
This book was not what I thought it was going to be; and I kind of love that. The banter back and forth between the dornán and Larkin was definitely my favorite part. It gave me inner circle vibes. It also was darker than I thought it was going to be, especially towards the end. I almost cried at a certain scene, and that plot twist at the end actually caught me so off guard.
One thing I craved in this book was more romance between Larkin and Finder. You can sense the connection between them, and they have a few sweet moments, but nothing substantial yet. (I do love a slow burn, but it’s hard when only the first book is out 😩.)
All in all, I loved this book and can’t wait to see what direction Parker takes in the next book!
One thing I craved in this book was more romance between Larkin and Finder. You can sense the connection between them, and they have a few sweet moments, but nothing substantial yet. (I do love a slow burn, but it’s hard when only the first book is out 😩.)
All in all, I loved this book and can’t wait to see what direction Parker takes in the next book!
January 21, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. The plot sounded so *chefs kiss* but the execution just was so flat for me.
It felt so long in the middle then rushed so quickly at the end.
This book had so much potential and I’m a bit sad it didn’t turn out as great. I think more YA would like this a lot more
It felt so long in the middle then rushed so quickly at the end.
This book had so much potential and I’m a bit sad it didn’t turn out as great. I think more YA would like this a lot more
January 6, 2022
I think the story could have been amazing if things were not so overly explained. I felt like there were just pages of internal monologue..it got redundant. I loved the travel arc with the fey warriors, but I wish there was more dialogue between the characters.
January 17, 2022
this was very underwhelming compared to the (exciting!) beginning. great premise, but horrible execution. a heaping amount of infodumping. i really wanted to like this book, but alas. at least the bookish box edition is gorgeous?
June 3, 2022
MY RATING: ★★★✩✩
book genre: fantasy, YA, adventure
pace: medium-fast
storyline: ★★★✩✩
characters: ★★★✩✩
character development: ★★✩✩✩
writing: ★★★✩✩
diversity: ★★★✩✩
attention to detail: ★★★✩✩
ending: ★★★✩✩
originality: ★★✩✩✩
is there smut? no
is there romance? barely.
Will I be reading the next book? Unsure.
Favorite quote 'Immortality breeds cruelty.' I thought that was smooth.
DETAILS / SPOILERS
What I liked
- The description
- The world-building is not phenomenal but it's well though.
- The character is hard-headed and still shows empathy, which is a kind of 'badass' that we do not meet often in female characters. I thought it was refreshing.
- The universe and quests are rough : character death, failures, torture, attacks, etc. That made it more realistic. Too often characters go through hell back and forth with barely a scratch on their arm. More than once in Autumn's Tithe, some characters almost die and it's realistic.
- The magic is nice, even if a bit predictable.
- They are some creatures that we meet more than once.
- The ending! Didn't see that one coming. Very nice!
What I didn't like
- Sometimes information was repeated twice which was bothering me. For instance, when we meet the Fae horses, we're told that they only take 1 rider in their lifetime, that they're like family. Later, something happens and we're reminded of that information. It's not necessary and it was frustrating because that happened a lot. Trust the reader to go back if they need to.
- Somethings felt too easy? Like how well Larken got along the group. One minute they hated each other, the next they were the next spice girls ? The transition was too fast, too easy.
- After two days of riding with the dornan, we meet a bunch of female wolves. Larken is like 'It's been so long since I've seen another woman, how do I tal to them?' Girl. It's been TWO DAYS. Chill down.
- The map is quite basic.
- All and all, it's pice girls traveling the wood until they meet their great foe.
All and all, I'm impressed at how good this was considering it was self-published! However, there is room for improvement. I know I always sound harsh on YA books, but weren't it from the violence, I'd say this book is more for 13-14 years old than the typical YA nowadays which aims for 18 yo.
book genre: fantasy, YA, adventure
pace: medium-fast
storyline: ★★★✩✩
characters: ★★★✩✩
character development: ★★✩✩✩
writing: ★★★✩✩
diversity: ★★★✩✩
attention to detail: ★★★✩✩
ending: ★★★✩✩
originality: ★★✩✩✩
is there smut? no
is there romance? barely.
Will I be reading the next book? Unsure.
Favorite quote 'Immortality breeds cruelty.' I thought that was smooth.
DETAILS / SPOILERS
What I liked
- The description
- The world-building is not phenomenal but it's well though.
- The character is hard-headed and still shows empathy, which is a kind of 'badass' that we do not meet often in female characters. I thought it was refreshing.
- The universe and quests are rough : character death, failures, torture, attacks, etc. That made it more realistic. Too often characters go through hell back and forth with barely a scratch on their arm. More than once in Autumn's Tithe, some characters almost die and it's realistic.
- The magic is nice, even if a bit predictable.
- They are some creatures that we meet more than once.
- The ending! Didn't see that one coming. Very nice!
What I didn't like
- Sometimes information was repeated twice which was bothering me. For instance, when we meet the Fae horses, we're told that they only take 1 rider in their lifetime, that they're like family. Later, something happens and we're reminded of that information. It's not necessary and it was frustrating because that happened a lot. Trust the reader to go back if they need to.
- Somethings felt too easy? Like how well Larken got along the group. One minute they hated each other, the next they were the next spice girls ? The transition was too fast, too easy.
- After two days of riding with the dornan, we meet a bunch of female wolves. Larken is like 'It's been so long since I've seen another woman, how do I tal to them?' Girl. It's been TWO DAYS. Chill down.
- The map is quite basic.
- All and all, it's pice girls traveling the wood until they meet their great foe.
All and all, I'm impressed at how good this was considering it was self-published! However, there is room for improvement. I know I always sound harsh on YA books, but weren't it from the violence, I'd say this book is more for 13-14 years old than the typical YA nowadays which aims for 18 yo.
April 16, 2023
This brought something different to the fae fantasy world which I appreciated. I loved the seasonal aspects of the different courts.
Regardless of this, I did find the book a bit difficult to get through. I found it hard to connect to the characters.
Not sure how I feel about reading the second book. We will see.
Regardless of this, I did find the book a bit difficult to get through. I found it hard to connect to the characters.
Not sure how I feel about reading the second book. We will see.
July 17, 2021
4.5/5 stars
I received an ARC from the author; however, all thoughts are my own. Big thank you to the author, Hannah Parker!
This book is YA fantasy and tackles a lot of different topics including female friendship, grief, self worth/identity, and adventure. I would say it's very comparable to A Curse So Dark and Lonely ... good book, good plot, good story, good characters...but no smut. Even still, I definitely recommend this one if you like strong female leads, fey, and adventure!
I won't detail the synopsis here since you can read it online, but I really enjoyed Larken and the whole crew of dornan (Finder, Dahey, Madden, and Saja). Madden was my favorite!
Pro's:
1. GOOD WRITING. The #1 thing I look for in a book is the writing. I give this one 5/5 for writing.
2. Unique story/plot. I think the author took a lot of ideas from other books and meshed them together to create a brand new, unique story. I really enjoyed the concept of the tithe and Larken's journey!
3. Solid main character. Larken is a really great MC! She has self doubt, but her heart is good. I think she's stronger than she realizes and I'm excited to see how she develops in book 2.
Con's:
1. I want to see more character development of the dornan!! (Maybe in book 2 🤔). By the end of the book, I still couldn't tell you one thing about Saja.
2. There's a mini climax before THE climax that I think could use more resolution. It doesn't take away from the story as a whole, but my ONE big critique of the book is that the mini climax was rushed.
3. THE SEQUEL ISN'T OUT YET AND IT DEF ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER!!! Haha maybe not a true con but I definitely want to read the next book and am sad I have to wait!
Overall very impressed with this book! It's definitely YA fantasy, so don't expect any smut. But it is full of adventure and there's definitely something blooming between Larken and Finder... I hope 😉 Fingers crossed we get more longing and romance in book 2 because that's the only thing missing! Definitely recommend!
I received an ARC from the author; however, all thoughts are my own. Big thank you to the author, Hannah Parker!
This book is YA fantasy and tackles a lot of different topics including female friendship, grief, self worth/identity, and adventure. I would say it's very comparable to A Curse So Dark and Lonely ... good book, good plot, good story, good characters...but no smut. Even still, I definitely recommend this one if you like strong female leads, fey, and adventure!
I won't detail the synopsis here since you can read it online, but I really enjoyed Larken and the whole crew of dornan (Finder, Dahey, Madden, and Saja). Madden was my favorite!
Pro's:
1. GOOD WRITING. The #1 thing I look for in a book is the writing. I give this one 5/5 for writing.
2. Unique story/plot. I think the author took a lot of ideas from other books and meshed them together to create a brand new, unique story. I really enjoyed the concept of the tithe and Larken's journey!
3. Solid main character. Larken is a really great MC! She has self doubt, but her heart is good. I think she's stronger than she realizes and I'm excited to see how she develops in book 2.
Con's:
1. I want to see more character development of the dornan!! (Maybe in book 2 🤔). By the end of the book, I still couldn't tell you one thing about Saja.
2. There's a mini climax before THE climax that I think could use more resolution. It doesn't take away from the story as a whole, but my ONE big critique of the book is that the mini climax was rushed.
3. THE SEQUEL ISN'T OUT YET AND IT DEF ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER!!! Haha maybe not a true con but I definitely want to read the next book and am sad I have to wait!
Overall very impressed with this book! It's definitely YA fantasy, so don't expect any smut. But it is full of adventure and there's definitely something blooming between Larken and Finder... I hope 😉 Fingers crossed we get more longing and romance in book 2 because that's the only thing missing! Definitely recommend!
February 19, 2022
Oh my gosh I LOVE this book and I cannot wait for the next book to come out!!!!! Oh my gosh!!!!! Loved the characters and the story!!!!!
January 20, 2022
I enjoyed this story, it was unique enough to keep me interested, and it was fast paced. The characters were a bit dull, but I feel as they might be more evolved as the story goes on? There is absolutely no romance- just platonic friends. I was okay with it though. But, if it is supposed to be romance- the author missed the mark completely- i got absolutely no feels from anyone.
I felt the pacing was a bit weird in places- super fast, then some spots dragged for no reason. The action scenes were well done, and the magic was cool. Just felt everything else was meh. There were also some funny scenes that I appreciated. Also the “twist” at the end was very expected.
Will I continue this? Not sure. Maybe. But the Bookish Box Edition I got is absolutely gorgeous - with a stunningly designed cover! So, it will be a proud addition to my library.
I felt the pacing was a bit weird in places- super fast, then some spots dragged for no reason. The action scenes were well done, and the magic was cool. Just felt everything else was meh. There were also some funny scenes that I appreciated. Also the “twist” at the end was very expected.
Will I continue this? Not sure. Maybe. But the Bookish Box Edition I got is absolutely gorgeous - with a stunningly designed cover! So, it will be a proud addition to my library.
October 17, 2021
The minute I came across Hannah on TikTok promoting her book, I knew that this was going to be a book that I was easily going to fall in love with, and I was right. This book was an amazing read, full of magic, friendship, adventure, and of course an epic romance. I related to the characters, especially Larken. As someone who is plus size, it was amazing to see the representation there that isn't commonly found in YA books, especially in the main character! I also love the emotional and physical role the horses have in this world. As a horse lover myself, it was amazing to see the connection a horse has to it's rider incorporated into this magical world!
I could go on and on about my love for this book, but really, you need to go read the book for yourself! I couldn't be more excited for the sequel to come out, even though it is a year away. I figure that will just give me the chance to reread Autumn's Tithe over and over again until then!
I could go on and on about my love for this book, but really, you need to go read the book for yourself! I couldn't be more excited for the sequel to come out, even though it is a year away. I figure that will just give me the chance to reread Autumn's Tithe over and over again until then!
September 15, 2022
*audiobook *
It was an intresting plot but after a while it got a little bit boring and it bother me how they became best friends in one day
And the accent just made it more unbearable
It was an intresting plot but after a while it got a little bit boring and it bother me how they became best friends in one day
And the accent just made it more unbearable
October 17, 2021
oh shit. so many twists!!!! so proud of my friend!! I can't wait for book #2!!
May 23, 2022
This book sadly wasn't for me. Maybe I would have enjoyed it as a teenager but even then I think I would have found the main character to be annoying. She felt incredibly naïve and whiny. I also didn't enjoy the concept that one is expected to be skinny in order to be seen as beautiful. The male characters weren't much better.
I listened to "Autumn's tithe" on audible, which usually lets me finish a book really quickly, but this one took me ages. I simply wasn't invested enough in the story. I also didn't really enjoy the way the narrator changed her voice to switch between the male and female characters. The men all sounded like grandpas to me. (That is hardly the author's fault, tho)
The concept for the plot was interesting but it wasn't really executed that well in my opinion. I can understand if someone younger enjoys this book and it's not like it was garbage, but the writing wasn't good enough to make me overlook the lack of character development or well executed plot. I did however enjoy the twist at the very end.
Simply put, a younger reader looking for a little adventure with mythical creatures and pretty fairies might enjoy "Autumn's tithe", but I personally will not be continuing the series.
I listened to "Autumn's tithe" on audible, which usually lets me finish a book really quickly, but this one took me ages. I simply wasn't invested enough in the story. I also didn't really enjoy the way the narrator changed her voice to switch between the male and female characters. The men all sounded like grandpas to me. (That is hardly the author's fault, tho)
The concept for the plot was interesting but it wasn't really executed that well in my opinion. I can understand if someone younger enjoys this book and it's not like it was garbage, but the writing wasn't good enough to make me overlook the lack of character development or well executed plot. I did however enjoy the twist at the very end.
Simply put, a younger reader looking for a little adventure with mythical creatures and pretty fairies might enjoy "Autumn's tithe", but I personally will not be continuing the series.
November 30, 2021
ACTUAL: 3.75 stars
October 18, 2021
copied from book insta:
5 stars...
So you know when you read a book and it starts off strong? So then you’re just vibin’ all the way through, and you think that maybe you know how it’s gonna end. But then BAM 💥 …. sh*t hits the fan in a way you didn’t expect at all?! I am talking, JLA level plot twist? Thats my favorite kind of read. I like the feel like I was physically slapped 👋🏼 in the face when I read a book, and this book gave me all of those feels
If you like plus sized heroines, LGBTQ representation , cliffhanging chapters, and great banter, PLEASE pick up this book 😩
-Also before I get into the synopsis, I just wanna say…I haven’t really read a fantasy book that deals with body dysmorphia like this one did. I really really loved that, and I think we need to see it more in writing 🙏🏼 It’s such a real part of life, and Larken’s character battles some issues of BD and self doubt quite often in this book. You get to see her work through those issues and grow as a person and I AM OBSESSED. Thank you!!!
📚 Synopsis: Every year, the fey choose one girl from Ballamor to bring into the faery realm to complete a “trial” and live out their days peacefully. Larken’s best friend, Brigid, was chosen last year, and Larken’s sole purpose in life is to find her friend and bring her home. When she finds out that Brigid and the girls who came before her are in grave danger, she takes it upon herself to go into the faery realm and make things right. However, after stumbling into a life bond with Prince face, Finder, Larken’s quest (and all of humankind for that matter) just became a lot more complicated.
5 stars...
So you know when you read a book and it starts off strong? So then you’re just vibin’ all the way through, and you think that maybe you know how it’s gonna end. But then BAM 💥 …. sh*t hits the fan in a way you didn’t expect at all?! I am talking, JLA level plot twist? Thats my favorite kind of read. I like the feel like I was physically slapped 👋🏼 in the face when I read a book, and this book gave me all of those feels
If you like plus sized heroines, LGBTQ representation , cliffhanging chapters, and great banter, PLEASE pick up this book 😩
-Also before I get into the synopsis, I just wanna say…I haven’t really read a fantasy book that deals with body dysmorphia like this one did. I really really loved that, and I think we need to see it more in writing 🙏🏼 It’s such a real part of life, and Larken’s character battles some issues of BD and self doubt quite often in this book. You get to see her work through those issues and grow as a person and I AM OBSESSED. Thank you!!!
📚 Synopsis: Every year, the fey choose one girl from Ballamor to bring into the faery realm to complete a “trial” and live out their days peacefully. Larken’s best friend, Brigid, was chosen last year, and Larken’s sole purpose in life is to find her friend and bring her home. When she finds out that Brigid and the girls who came before her are in grave danger, she takes it upon herself to go into the faery realm and make things right. However, after stumbling into a life bond with Prince face, Finder, Larken’s quest (and all of humankind for that matter) just became a lot more complicated.
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