Lady of the Primordial Tree

The Divinity Chronicles #1

by Daniela A. Mera

Abandonment. That has been the theme of Sofia's life.
She is the granddaughter of the two most powerful matriarchs on the Northern continent and has been blessed with unique abilities to wield divine powers. Her mother, Elisa, desperately sought to hide her daughter's gifts from the Gran Empress, but was killed by her husband's horrific winged beasts.
Agonized by the decision to continue devoting herself to the rules she'd known her whole life or move on, she finds herself in an uncomfortable space in between both options.
After being kicked out of the Healing House in Estrus, she embarks on a journey to find her father and avenge her mother. She finds Khaled, a gentle healer, who helps her build a life for the first time. Falling in love with him was exciting, new, and intoxicating. But does she love him enough to turn her back on the Order? The Goddess? On her mother, whom she had sworn to avenge?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy

ebook

First published November 11, 2021

About the author

Daniela A. Mera was born into a royal Fae family in Scotland. She was a free spirit who loved traveling and cloud watching while laying velvet-soft grass. When she came of age, her mother forced her to travel to Las Vegas in order to kill a dragon and conquer a neighboring kingdom.

The dragon turned out to be a man, whom she fell wildly in love with. The couple ran away to the gentle hills of Mexico where Daniela ate lots of tacos and fruits the size of her head.

Something along those lines, anyway.

She writes whimsical tales full of lore all around the world, full of emotionally available men and women who run the world. She can be found listening to sappy romance ballads while writing scenes meant to emotionally damage her readers.

When not writing, Daniela can be found doing yoga and playing video games. Join her newsletter for freebies at: www.danielaamera.com

Reviews

[Vania Vela · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if everything you know suddenly changes? This happens to Sofia, when she discovers that she must avenge the death of her mother by killing her father. This book was extremely interesting and fairly quick to read. The way this book was written allows you to empathize with the characters and grow fond of them, in addition to helping you imagine what the settings look like. It seemed like a creative plot to me and the way the events unfolded was understandable, there was a good balance of suspense in the plot. There were a few plotwists that I didn't expect, and that gave the story more excitement, and I appreciate that. It was certainly a good book!

[Kendra Holten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, the characters are all well written and it keeps you guessing. I'm excited to read the next one and continue this adventure with Sofia.

[Margherita · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get the hang of it because I'm slow, but the world-building was amazing and the story is really interesting. I sometimes felt like a few moments were a bit rushed, but apart from that I like the way the author writes.
I'm curious about what will happen next :)

[K Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

High fantasy must read! Powerful characters struggling to find themselves and seeking revenge. Amazing world building and yes there are magical creatures! Plus an underlining start of slow burn romance. Plot twists had me shaking my head and wanting more! Read this in one sit down! Can’t wait for the next book to see what happens next!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book! I really enjoyed the story: Sofia is a wielder who can control creation and decay, a rarity of wielders. She knows very little of her heritage and after the death of her mother, she goes on a journey to avenge her death and find out more information about her past. She meets Khaled, a healer, where there is more than meets the eye and begins to fall for him.

This is a fun adventure story, the darker elements are pretty dark, I've posted some CW below. No spice for those interested, but at least to me, still enjoyable! Thanks Daniela!

CW: Rape, assault, forced pregnancy

[Libby Frazier-Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

As someone who doesn’t normally gravitate to this realm of NA Fantasy, I feel like I liked this as much as I possibly could have. The writing was absolutely spectacular the characters well written, and the magic system was easy and cool to follow.

However, and we are warned of these things before the book even starts, there were some aspects that made me uncomfortable. That’s the risk you run with NA Fantasy sometimes, but I still wanted to give it an honest try. I’m glad I read this, but it just wasn’t the book for me! That’s not to say I wouldn’t still recommend it, I just wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under 18, and please check content warnings!

Thank you Daniela for sending me this copy! I appreciate you and your beautiful writing.

[Stephanie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I *wanted* to love this so badly, it didn't hit the mark for me. The world-building was definitely incredible and I was intrigued by all the customs and loved the idea of women in charge. But the character development was inconsistent for me, and I unfortunately came across a lot of grammatical errors (I do think I was reading an older version that was gifted to me last year, so if these have been fixed, that's wonderful) that made it difficult for me to read the story with enthusiasm. I would give something like this a 2.5 stars; however, the author worked tirelessly on this book and its world, and I don't want to come off as too harsh. There were some great moments, some beautifully described moments, and I do think this will please lovers of fantasy-action.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 33%
Just can’t get into this. The writing feels stiff and awkward and it seems like nothing is really happening. The descriptions of the FMC’s powers as well as the rest of the world/magic system are just confusing. Reading this feels like work and I’m over it.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars!

This book is a must for fans of high fantasy who want to get lost in a world! The world building is spectacular and is definitely a strength within the novel: the detail, the history, THE CREATURES! Daniela A. Mera clearly has thought about the world that she wants to create and the message that she wants to put across so it was enjoyable to read between the lines. There were twists that I didn't expect and these kept me turning the pages to the very end! The tension between the love interests (I don't want to spoil anything by giving names!) is written in a way where the spice isn't missed and all the best parts stay! Book 2 is underway so I am very excited to see where it goes.

[Caytlyn Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion*

Lady of the Primordial Tree takes place in a breath-taking fantasy world, where creation wielders are hunted and imprisoned for their abilities. Sofia is not only a creation wielder, but a decay wielder as well, a chilling threat to authority. After her mother is killed, she embarks on a long and arduous quest to find her father and destroy him. However, all isn't as it seems and Sofia soon finds she has a new and even more terrible enemy to best to keep those she loves safe.

The author did an amazing job creating a unique fantasy world that immediately pulled me in, especially her lush imagery and description. I liked the slow burn of the forbidden relationship and loved Sofia's strength and confidence!

I did get a little lost in the swirling cast and would have loved for the side characters to be explored in a little more detail to deepen the connection.

I can't wait for book 2!

[Veronique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors for allowing me to have an eARC to review this book. All thoughts are my own.

The story is so interesting and it gave me some big Eragon vibes. I also really enjoyed the shift to a matriarchal power dynamic rather than the usual, boring, and overused patriarchal one.
Despite getting a little confused with the timeline because it covered a lot of time without us being able to see it all and the narrator mentioning events that happened during times we don’t see, I don’t feel like there are any other complaints I can raise. Something that benefited from this timeline was the slow burn romance which I thoroughly enjoyed because the “love at first sight” trope is boring by now.
I finished this in one day and I can’t wait to read the next one!

[Frances Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world- building in this book is wonderful! There are aspects to this world that I have never read before, and I really enjoyed the story! I had a hard time putting this book down. I am looking forward to book 2!:)

[Catalina Carrasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady of the Primordial Tree:
"None shall escape her"

RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOL:
Esta historia comienza la tarde que Sofia decide salir del templo para ayudar a una mujer en peligro. Pero ella no esperaba que estesuceso cambiara su vida de rumbo por completo, ese día se desato dentro de ella un poder que si no era escondido iba a traer muchos problemas a lo largo de su mundo.
Producto de esta revelación muere su madre a manos de su padre y ella es exiliada de donde solía vivir, va a Estrus, una ciudad cercana donde vive por 5 años y mejora sus habilidades de curandera. Pero por un problema Sofia vuelve a verse obligada a irse de este lugar y dejar a quienes ella había empezado a querer, empezando el camino para cumplir la deuda de sangre de su madre y vengarse porfin de su padre.
En el camino hacia su nuevo destino conoce a Khaled un Mennin Mezzi, el cual se volvera a cruzar en su camino mas adelante. Sofia fue criada para no relacionarse con hombres, en una sociedad donde ellos eran vistos como una debilidad. Pero, ¿que pasaría si los sentimientos interfieren el el camino?
Este libro me atrapo desde el principio, tenía muchas ganas de ver lo que pasaba con Sofia y como se desarrollaban sus poderes. A la altura del 70% del libro este se vuelve mil veces mejor, surgiendo revelacion tras revelacion a flote que te hacen no despegarte de la historia. Me gustó mucho la construcción de este mundo y como la historia de este esta a lo largo de la historia
Me gustó mucho Sofia, es una protanista fuerte, que sabe lo que quiere y no se dejara pasar a llevar. Ella y Khaled se complementaron tan bien, entendiendo los propositos del otro y apoyandose con sus decisiones.
Estoy esperando ansiosamente la segunda historia de esta trilogía, despues de este final en el cual nos presenta la autora.

ENGLISH REVIEW:
I can't tell you how much I loved this book, I feel so grateful to have an ARC copy and having the privilege to read it before the release date.
Sofia has powers. She has to keep them secret but one day she uses them to help a woman in danger. This day changes her entire life, her mother dies and she wants revenge, She goes on a journey looking for her father but she finds some complications in the way.
On the other side she meets Khaled, she was raised to despise man but feelings got in the way.
I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy.

[Hanna Kole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book as an ARC and from the synopsis i was alreayd hooked. I loved this story. The World and religion building was immaculate. I really enjoyed the many creatures and animals that were depicted and Sophia's relationship to them. Sophia was such a relatable character and I loved reading about her growth with her powers and her realtionships throughout the book. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

[Lizzie CP · Rating 4 out of 5]

When everything you ever knew is taken, what do you do?
Sofia is expelled from the only place she knew as home, her cage and refuge. It’s until that moment that she asks herself “ and now?”.
She promises revenge, but as she gets on with it she realizes it may not be as easy as it seems, there are secrets between secrets, lies between lies and pasts that threaten to undo her plans.

This book is amazingly well built, it went a little slow for my tastes and the end was just shocking.

[Fedythereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I wielded the divine magic given from the Goddess.”

“Wielder of creation … Wielder of decay”

“Just as Cureen and Luciena were blessed by the Mother, so are you. You are both decay and creation, Sofia. Terrible and great.”

This book was more than good… it was otherworldly amazing !!!
I felt captivated from the very first scenes and I couldn’t stop reading it!!
A fantasy book with a woman centred society, with similarities to the Wonder Woman figure and a religious system, su much inspired from the Christian culture but also so different, based on the balance between the power of Creation and Decay !!!
A young woman wielding both powers who’s hunted by everyone and who’s hunting herself the father she believes is the cause for her own mother’s death.
She meets someone who will make her change prospective on life and existence and who’s really handsome !!!!
Sofia’s story is amazing to read both because of the struggles and doubts she has to face about her own identity and because of the relationships she develops with people around her.
Khaled is something else !!!! I believe he is one of the few good guys I’ve fallen for since I started reading fantasy books !!!!
The plot is great and there are even DRAGONS in this book !!!
I appreciated a lot the fact that the author dedicated the first pages of the book on listing the trigger warning themes … it’s something more people should do !!!
I believe I still have lot to learn about this world, its magic and these characters b it damn if I’m not very curious about it!!!!

“None shall escape Her”

“Write your pain on your heart... and change things”

“You are a dangerous, terrible, beautiful creature”

“You are She. The next Her. The Lady of the Primordial Tree.”

[Jason Pettus]

(I'm now reading romance novels and women's erotica on a regular basis, in order to better help my freelance clients who write in the same genres. Check out my "romance" tag to see all my reviews.)

2023 reads, #48. DID NOT FINISH. I usually don't have any problems finishing what are mostly the ultra-short books comprising the romance genre, done that way deliberately for business reasons (they're faster to write, which means more books can be published each year, and they're faster to read, which means more books can be bought each year). Here, though, I ended up giving up around the 25% mark, because this is way more a fantasy novel than a romance one, and Tolkienesque "High Fantasy" at that, and author Daniela A. Mera has made the mistake so common among so-so High Fantasy writers, of throwing in so much exposition and so much new mythology that it's nearly impossible to enjoy the book as a simple pleasure read, but must become a piece of homework as part of a dedication to reading every book in the series in order to be understood at all. And I'm not planning on reading the entire series (like all the other romance novels I've reviewed this year, I got this through one of those promotional websites that give out books for free), and in fact I'm not a particularly big fan of High Fantasy in the first place, so after the umpteenth reference in the first 50 pages to the Third War of the Fifth Age between the Council of Nine and the Fellowship of Twelve, I closed the book in utter confusion and decided not to pick it up again. Keep it all in mind when deciding whether or not to read it yourself.

[Scott Sammons · Rating 3 out of 5]

E-book is rather flawed. Incomplete world-building.

This is a book with some very good passages, but less than thorough development. Many parts assume that the reader is well versed in the fantasy, without fleshing out the imagery.

There are some odd wrong word substitutes (magnanimous when magnificent is clearly intended) I made note of a few but would have to reread the book to ferret out the rest. The very common use of notching an arrow when nocking is the correct choice. The characters lack individual voices, (one usually expects an empress to sound different from peasants) and the villains are a bit too on the nose "bad guys", there is a lack of development for their motivations and cause.

Despite being nearly 300 pages, this is a very fast read, less than four hours. I have bought the next volume in the series and have hopes that there will be more world-building and development as the story progresses. There is certainly nothing about this story that couldn't have been fixed by more arduous editing, rewrite, and critical beta readers. While reading, it was easy enough to fill in gaps and make corrections as I was reading. The criticism is for the finished product as published, and not for the concept of the story.

[Killey Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book ahead of release. I thought it was an interesting read and that this new world created has a lot of promise for sequels. So many different directions it can take. It's always refreshing to have a book where the women are allowed to take lead, not just as the main character, but in the storyline overall. Even if the villain of the Empress is female as well. Looking at how she treats women is an interesting take on being a matriarch in a woman power world. I look forward to learning more about some of the main characters. I would have liked to see a little more on Khaled, because I found his story to be fascinating, and hopefully, that's something we will see more of in the future. I also would have liked to have seen more of the male villain earlier in the book. To me, he adds the drive that Sofia needs to break out of her shell, but it happened later in the book and I would have liked an introduction to the real Sofia much sooner, plus the lack of villain made the book seem a little safe. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes magic, mystical, and female-empowering books.

[Tali Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Lady of the Primordial Tree in exchange for an honest review. As the granddaughter of the two most powerful matriarchs on the Northern continent, Sofia is both blessed and cursed with unique powers. When her life devastatingly changes she finds herself on a journey she didn't ask for.

Daniela A. Mera's writing really shines throughout Lady of the Primordial Tree. I found myself zooming through some pages as the writing flowed so well, whilst I went back through some to relive the scenes. You can feel Daniela's love for the fantasy genre throughout this novel, the characters are written with passion and care. You genuinely care for Sofia as a protagonist, making it an absolute pleasure to accompany her on her adventure. I can't wait for February to find out what happens to her going forward!

[Megan (sporadic hiatus due to law school) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The worldbuilding of LADY OF THE PRIMORDIAL TREE is exquisite. It's absolutely beautiful and gorgeous and so detailed.

That said, it's not fully explained and I spent the majority of the book confused and trying to figure out what different names were or how the magic worked.

It wasn't until at least halfway through I generally understood how the world worked, but then new things were added and it confused me a bit more.

The romance wasn't as cute as I believed - I saw no reason for Khaled to be around Sofia, especially after some things happened. And suddenly their bond was so strong and they were in love - it felt far-fetched and I didn't enjoy it that much. But it seems it's not supposed to be the main thing of the book.

I received a free ARC and am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Outnumbered6to1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this

I feel like the premise for this book was solid. The magic was unique, which was a breath of fresh air. However, the writing felt jilted and all over the place, I've read fan fics that flowed better. I had a difficult time following the story. It just felt very underdeveloped to me. There wasn't enough information at times, and I found myself reading entire chapters over again, wondering if I had missed something. Honestly, it was almost a dnf, which I rarely do as I'm quite easily amused. I did finish it, but I probably won't finish the series as I'm not really invested in the story or the characters at this point. I would absolutely love to see this brought to life with a rewrite that allows for better flow and world building, but unless that happens, it's not a book I'll be recommending.

[Sandy Schleich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting but sometimes I got lost. Some of the stuff that was being said did not make any sense, and I had to read them a couple of times. I hate having to do that. That’s irritating. This book starts out with Sofia in pretty much a monastery, but with women, and they were not allowed to see men. She escaped from there because she heard somebody being hurt, and when she returned, her mother had died. Then the book jumps to her being sent away and where she’s living and pretty much lying to everybody about herself. The village she’s living in finds out that she is a lifebringer and practically wants to burn her at the stake so she hast to run again. The next village she comes to she doesn’t want to tell anybody her name, and tries to keep her magic to herself. She has made a blood oath to kill her father. She is pretty much in a mess with her life. I’m not sure whether I’m going to read the next book in the series or not.

[Megan Chumbley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book given that fantasy is generally not a genre I read much.

The author did a great job at building this world filled with magical powers, places, creatures and more. The character development left you feeling emotionally connected to them.

You experience a journey with Sofia as she discovers truths about her past, forbidden love, friendships, and loss.

I did not like that time was skipped from chapter to chapter. I wanted more of the story and would've enjoyed the extra detail.

Be aware of the warnings for the book because there are some things that could be triggering to some.

[R. Ko · Rating 1 out of 5]

Super unpopular opinion based on other reviews. I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't get into it. I also said the same thing about the Throne of Glass series but ended up reading that entire series after picking it up again after a year so who knows?! It just reads very simply with not a lot of attention to detail (grammatical errors here and there). I appreciate the premise of the story but I just couldn't connect with Sofia and if I don't feel a certain way, it's hard to continue. I checked out as I was reading so I missed a lot and things just started to get confusing for me.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a mess. Confusing political structure. Despite being told multiple times how women were in charge of everything, the actual events of the book proved that untrue. Titles and terms of a new world need to be defined or described.


Why is our erstwhile heroine getting first person dreams from her dead mother? Why didn’t the woman tell her anything helpful when she was alive?




Ending spoilers: what the heck happened in the cavern? Why didn’t she just kill all the bad guys? Who was bonded to who and how? Who died?

Maybe our heroine will actually user her amazing power in the next book and save the people she claims to love.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my attention in about two sentences and held it all the way through! The story was very unique and I loved all of the attention the author paid to world-building. The world felt very lush and real, which made the read very immersive. And the magical creatures! Omg I loved them all, and I wanted to exist in this world (also, women in power yes!) Overall a really excellent read from Daniela A Mera, can’t wait to check out the second book and see where Sofia’s story goes from here!

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Breaux Reanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing world building and story telling make this book a page turning masterpiece.

Abandoned and lied to, when Sofias gifts are discovered by her caregivers she is abandoned again and learns her whole life has been planned to be used as a weapon. Out on her own with a fake Identity she finds friendship and comeraderie and the possibility of love, but fate is cruel and she could be ripped from all that she's found.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

unexpected plot, original magic and world

This book was enjoyable. I really didn’t know what was going to happen from one chapter to the next. There was enough foreshadowing to help build tension and give you clues to keep reading, but not enough that you saw the plot twist coming a mile away.

The magic in this world is unique, and there are no fae in sight, thank goodness. There was a romance plot, but it was secondary to the hero’s journey. The romance didn’t really drive the story.

While the romance was rated G, the last act was rated R horror. I didn’t mind…I thought it was perfect to show how evil the antagonists were. But it definitely got dark at the end!

It wasn’t flawless. I think the book could have benefitted from more editing, and maybe some more connections between the characters. The pacing was off…it dragged in parts and felt too rushed in others. The wicked crew in the third act kind of came out of nowhere and went nowhere. It felt like chunks were taken out of the book then referenced later. Dunno.

But, I was along for the ride. Will be reading more!

[Wednesday Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an ARC to leave an honest review - I don't usually read this type of genre and had a hard time connecting to the main character, but the writing is beautiful and the author tells the story well. It also has a very interesting premise. 3.5 stars