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A Tempest of Emerald Dream
"There is no harm in hope."
Enter the world of Aralva with book one of the TALES OF MALMAR anthology series by William J. Wood.
Far beyond the wonders of Aralva, past where the river splits and the chasms cry, Elorin lays in peace - home to the saviour.
In the dark to a brewing evil, Alleria Valrona works as a librarian.
But her whole life has been a lie.
Alleria is not like the rest.
She is a prophecy.
She has the power. The power to end it all.
She is sought by a mystical guardian with a life-altering plea: find Aralva and save us all.
Alleria and her friends must travel across Malmar to discover the secrets of their land, but above all – stay alive.
Family is the key to survival.
But can she trust those who keep secrets from her?
And what is willing to sacrifice to fulfil her prophecy?
Enter the world of Aralva with book one of the TALES OF MALMAR anthology series by William J. Wood.
Far beyond the wonders of Aralva, past where the river splits and the chasms cry, Elorin lays in peace - home to the saviour.
In the dark to a brewing evil, Alleria Valrona works as a librarian.
But her whole life has been a lie.
Alleria is not like the rest.
She is a prophecy.
She has the power. The power to end it all.
She is sought by a mystical guardian with a life-altering plea: find Aralva and save us all.
Alleria and her friends must travel across Malmar to discover the secrets of their land, but above all – stay alive.
Family is the key to survival.
But can she trust those who keep secrets from her?
And what is willing to sacrifice to fulfil her prophecy?
326 pages, Hardcover
Published May 10, 2022
19 people are currently reading
1859 people want to read
About the author
William J. Wood
3 books1,525 followersWilliam now writes as Bill Wood. His debut YA horror-thriller, Let's Split Up releases September 26th 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 10, 2022
Well, A Tempest... is finally out today! I'm so overwhelmed by the response and pure support over the past year. It's been so wild, yet so rewarding. Thank you so much.
This will be the last time I check Goodreads because this book is for YOU! I hope you love it and are able to see yourself somewhere in the pages <3 #teamtanyth
This will be the last time I check Goodreads because this book is for YOU! I hope you love it and are able to see yourself somewhere in the pages <3 #teamtanyth
October 3, 2021
this book is SO good! talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before! have i read it yet? no. not even a word.
December 10, 2021
have I read it yet? no. ( update: I have now see below)
but I know how much work went into this by this INCREDIBLE author and more importantly friend. the level of genius this man beholds when talking about and creating this story is simply magic. I feel like I have watched so much of this journey and simply couldn’t be prouder and more in awe!!
William (Billy) this is ALL you, you deserve all the success and more! I am so so happy for you, what a moment!
NOW I HAVE READ IT:
I was given a beta copy of this book to read by the WONDERFUL author!! This story was so perfect in how it was laid out, it seemed to have 2 threads of a story that inter-wove whilst also heading in the same direction, which was VERY well done. I loved the amount of diversity and inclusivity this story had, showcasing so many different types of people, love and lifestyles!!
The only aspect I struggled with was the pronunciation of some of the names but that comes with fantasy novels I find when including such pretty and whimsical names!!
I am not an avid fantasy fan.. it is admittedly not my preferred genre however I found this so so easy to sink my teeth into ! :)
but I know how much work went into this by this INCREDIBLE author and more importantly friend. the level of genius this man beholds when talking about and creating this story is simply magic. I feel like I have watched so much of this journey and simply couldn’t be prouder and more in awe!!
William (Billy) this is ALL you, you deserve all the success and more! I am so so happy for you, what a moment!
NOW I HAVE READ IT:
I was given a beta copy of this book to read by the WONDERFUL author!! This story was so perfect in how it was laid out, it seemed to have 2 threads of a story that inter-wove whilst also heading in the same direction, which was VERY well done. I loved the amount of diversity and inclusivity this story had, showcasing so many different types of people, love and lifestyles!!
The only aspect I struggled with was the pronunciation of some of the names but that comes with fantasy novels I find when including such pretty and whimsical names!!
I am not an avid fantasy fan.. it is admittedly not my preferred genre however I found this so so easy to sink my teeth into ! :)
May 24, 2022
I was very excited to read this book. The premise seemed very intriguing, but sadly it was not my cup of tea.
I want to say that I can see how much effort went into making and writing this book and there are definitely some things it nailed, but also some things that were missing for me.
The concept is very interesting but within the first 10 pages of the book, most of the mystery is already gone. I was expecting more suspense based on the blurb. It is a very fast paced book which means it is easy to read, but I would have liked for it to be a bit slower and give some more explanation. There was not a lot of world building. I did really like the world building that was there! The images the author created at times were really nice and I would have loved to read more of that. However the story moves very fast and there is barely any time to really stay in one scene and learn more about the world and the characters.
I mostly missed a bit of a back story to the world and especially the magic system. The magic system seems very cool but apart from a few characters just having magic there is not a lot more that is explained about it. The whole story is about this prophecy but when it comes to the final battle this power is barely used. Because there was so little explanation about the evil that supposedly threatens the lands, it made it feel less imminent.
Because of it’s fast pace I did not really care for the characters. When death occurs it does not leave a lasting impact. The characters itself have distinctive traits, which I did like. The representation within the characters is another highlight. Often queer stories revolve around coming out or some form of trauma but this was casual representation which I would love to see more in books. The dialogue between characters was also funny at times and included some really nice quotes.
The book reminds me a lot of other popular ya books. It has those traits which most readers will be familiar with making it easier to appeal to a larger audience. It gives of these fairytale like vibes which I loved.
Overall this book was not what I hoped/expected it to be. It is a solid concept and I can tell lots of work and time went into it. Despite this it was just not for me because it was very straight to the point and, by doing so, missed a lot of things that really shape a story. The way in which the author phrases things at times intrigues me and makes me want to read his future work.
I want to say that I can see how much effort went into making and writing this book and there are definitely some things it nailed, but also some things that were missing for me.
The concept is very interesting but within the first 10 pages of the book, most of the mystery is already gone. I was expecting more suspense based on the blurb. It is a very fast paced book which means it is easy to read, but I would have liked for it to be a bit slower and give some more explanation. There was not a lot of world building. I did really like the world building that was there! The images the author created at times were really nice and I would have loved to read more of that. However the story moves very fast and there is barely any time to really stay in one scene and learn more about the world and the characters.
I mostly missed a bit of a back story to the world and especially the magic system. The magic system seems very cool but apart from a few characters just having magic there is not a lot more that is explained about it. The whole story is about this prophecy but when it comes to the final battle this power is barely used. Because there was so little explanation about the evil that supposedly threatens the lands, it made it feel less imminent.
Because of it’s fast pace I did not really care for the characters. When death occurs it does not leave a lasting impact. The characters itself have distinctive traits, which I did like. The representation within the characters is another highlight. Often queer stories revolve around coming out or some form of trauma but this was casual representation which I would love to see more in books. The dialogue between characters was also funny at times and included some really nice quotes.
The book reminds me a lot of other popular ya books. It has those traits which most readers will be familiar with making it easier to appeal to a larger audience. It gives of these fairytale like vibes which I loved.
Overall this book was not what I hoped/expected it to be. It is a solid concept and I can tell lots of work and time went into it. Despite this it was just not for me because it was very straight to the point and, by doing so, missed a lot of things that really shape a story. The way in which the author phrases things at times intrigues me and makes me want to read his future work.
June 14, 2022
MY FRIEND BILL WROTE A BOOK!!! Does that make me a biased reviewer? Maybe…. but I will do my best not to be.
I think this book is technically considered YA, but I think for me it read a bit more like Middle Grade (but would definitely still be great for fans of YA). I found it very easy to fall in love with the characters, and I LOVED all of the queer representation. I would have loved a bit more development with some of the concepts, especially the magic system, though since its for a younger audience I understand why we didn’t get a ton of complexities. Also that COVER! So gorgeous!! If you’ve been thinking of checking this one out, I’d say this is your sign to do it!
I think this book is technically considered YA, but I think for me it read a bit more like Middle Grade (but would definitely still be great for fans of YA). I found it very easy to fall in love with the characters, and I LOVED all of the queer representation. I would have loved a bit more development with some of the concepts, especially the magic system, though since its for a younger audience I understand why we didn’t get a ton of complexities. Also that COVER! So gorgeous!! If you’ve been thinking of checking this one out, I’d say this is your sign to do it!
October 15, 2022
Because of the hype on tiktok I really wanted to love this, I dnf’d about 60% through, the writing felt weak and I just wasn’t interested in the story. The mystery of it was given away within the first 25 pages and I found the main character to be insipid and just too easily accepting of being the one that is destined to save everyone.
I really really wanted to like this and I feel so bad that I didn’t.
I really really wanted to like this and I feel so bad that I didn’t.
June 9, 2022
Bill you can’t have me crying at the end of the book and then be THAT funny in the acknowledgments straight after😭
May 21, 2022
4.5! This was such a good book, I’m so happy and weirdly proud of Bill! <3 I love how fast paced it is and the short chapters
I love how inclusive this is and how much representation there is! Most characters are somehow part of the lgbtq+ community! Something I really appreciate about the representation here as well is how well written it is, often in books/media its about coming out or some sort of trauma but that’s not the case here! Plus they were all so accepting of each other which I loved being, and I overall really enjoyed the conversations they had between each other and the friendships/relationships. The ending absolutely broke me. There were so many ”omg what just happened moments”. A shoutout to Naesera as well, such a badass tbh!
So as you might be able to tell, I loved this book! I almost gave it 5 stars but didn’t, and I honestly dont really know why but it’s just a feeling I guess? Maybe it’s just that I dont usually read fantasy so I didn’t understand some parts of that world? Anyway, I still LOVE this book and would highly recommend it!
If you like fantasy, found family & diversity with good rep I would highly recommend this!
I love how inclusive this is and how much representation there is! Most characters are somehow part of the lgbtq+ community! Something I really appreciate about the representation here as well is how well written it is, often in books/media its about coming out or some sort of trauma but that’s not the case here! Plus they were all so accepting of each other which I loved being, and I overall really enjoyed the conversations they had between each other and the friendships/relationships. The ending absolutely broke me. There were so many ”omg what just happened moments”. A shoutout to Naesera as well, such a badass tbh!
So as you might be able to tell, I loved this book! I almost gave it 5 stars but didn’t, and I honestly dont really know why but it’s just a feeling I guess? Maybe it’s just that I dont usually read fantasy so I didn’t understand some parts of that world? Anyway, I still LOVE this book and would highly recommend it!
If you like fantasy, found family & diversity with good rep I would highly recommend this!
August 10, 2022
Absolutely loved the plot and the characters, and with a wide range of really great lgbtq+ representation.
The pacing was a little inconsistent and made certain aspects and chapters seem less significant despite being main plot points.
Overall a really interesting read!
The pacing was a little inconsistent and made certain aspects and chapters seem less significant despite being main plot points.
Overall a really interesting read!
September 24, 2024
2 stars
I have never wanted to finish a book so quickly. Not because I liked it, but because I strongly disliked it. like a lot of things about the author. I like his content, his personality, and his book recommendations. However, I did not like his book. I bought the book with high expectations, and they were not met. There were parts of the book where I finally got into it, only to get bored of it again. The pacing was off, by the third chapter the plot was predictable, I didn’t like the protagonists, it was generic, there were only a few grammar mistakes, at one point the author forgot which character he was writing about, the relationship between Imra and Alleria seemed very forced, the plot twist was great only to get confusing, and more. I, obviously, have a lot to criticize. However, I will be reading the second book (if there is one) as I kind of look forward to it. Maybe there will be something that makes it better.
I have never wanted to finish a book so quickly. Not because I liked it, but because I strongly disliked it. like a lot of things about the author. I like his content, his personality, and his book recommendations. However, I did not like his book. I bought the book with high expectations, and they were not met. There were parts of the book where I finally got into it, only to get bored of it again. The pacing was off, by the third chapter the plot was predictable, I didn’t like the protagonists, it was generic, there were only a few grammar mistakes, at one point the author forgot which character he was writing about, the relationship between Imra and Alleria seemed very forced, the plot twist was great only to get confusing, and more. I, obviously, have a lot to criticize. However, I will be reading the second book (if there is one) as I kind of look forward to it. Maybe there will be something that makes it better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2022
Discovered this book through a Rec on tik tok.
I’m an avid Fantasy reader, but this just felt extremely generic. The prose was clunky and stunted, making it almost impossible to read. I appreciate that this is a debut novel, but I have read so many debuts with writing that exceeds this by miles. The pacing felt off, with some parts dragging and others that needed gravity going by far too quickly. I found myself having to reread sections because I missed things.
I may also have had an initial slight bias because I really didn’t like the cover- ik don’t judge a book by it’s cover- but I just couldn’t help it in this case. 😭
For me this was a 1.5 star read, it really wasn’t my thing. However 2 stars because I really can appreciate that there is definitely potential and perhaps might appeal to more of a YA category than the adult fantasy I usually read.
I’m an avid Fantasy reader, but this just felt extremely generic. The prose was clunky and stunted, making it almost impossible to read. I appreciate that this is a debut novel, but I have read so many debuts with writing that exceeds this by miles. The pacing felt off, with some parts dragging and others that needed gravity going by far too quickly. I found myself having to reread sections because I missed things.
I may also have had an initial slight bias because I really didn’t like the cover- ik don’t judge a book by it’s cover- but I just couldn’t help it in this case. 😭
For me this was a 1.5 star read, it really wasn’t my thing. However 2 stars because I really can appreciate that there is definitely potential and perhaps might appeal to more of a YA category than the adult fantasy I usually read.
May 10, 2022
May 2nd-
Review to come when I'm more emotionally stable 😭
May 10th- 3.75⭐
HAPPY PUB DAY 🎉
This was such a fun (but also heartwrenching- seriously get your tissues ready) book and you can really tell how much love went into its creation.
I relate to the main character Alleria on several levels which at some points hit harder than I was expecting 😅. The casual queer rep- in particular the ace rep- was written so well and there was a paragraph that felt like my thoughts had been stolen from my head and put down on a page.
The dynamic between Alleria, Aiwen and Tanyth was also great. Tanyth's sarcasm is elite, we love to see it. Aiwen and Tanyth recognising Alleria's tendency toward fierce independence but not letting her suffer alone was such a wonderful thing to read.
This is definitely a quick, could-read-in-one-sitting kind of book but at times I felt like it was moving a little TOO fast. I didn't feel as immersed into the world as I would have liked to be, with the world building feeling quite surface level sometimes.
Overall though, this is still a book I'll see myself recommending a fair amount in the future and I can't wait to see what else this author writes.
Review to come when I'm more emotionally stable 😭
May 10th- 3.75⭐
HAPPY PUB DAY 🎉
This was such a fun (but also heartwrenching- seriously get your tissues ready) book and you can really tell how much love went into its creation.
I relate to the main character Alleria on several levels which at some points hit harder than I was expecting 😅. The casual queer rep- in particular the ace rep- was written so well and there was a paragraph that felt like my thoughts had been stolen from my head and put down on a page.
The dynamic between Alleria, Aiwen and Tanyth was also great. Tanyth's sarcasm is elite, we love to see it. Aiwen and Tanyth recognising Alleria's tendency toward fierce independence but not letting her suffer alone was such a wonderful thing to read.
This is definitely a quick, could-read-in-one-sitting kind of book but at times I felt like it was moving a little TOO fast. I didn't feel as immersed into the world as I would have liked to be, with the world building feeling quite surface level sometimes.
Overall though, this is still a book I'll see myself recommending a fair amount in the future and I can't wait to see what else this author writes.
October 2, 2021
Amazing. The author has beautiful writing.
October 13, 2021
This book is everything even though I have not read it, it is just yes read it now😫😫
October 29, 2021
i cannot WAIT to have this book in my hands to read it. you deserve the world and i’m soooooo excited!!
September 9, 2022
"was the price worth it?" no, no it wasnt😭😭😭
August 22, 2022
A solid 2 stars even though I would have given a 1 and here is why:
First of all, I would like to acknowledge that I enjoyed the writing and the story in itself. Although some mistakes could have been dodged such as the wrong name used on page 158 and the repetition of ‘crane’ which was overused.
Then, some scenes were a copy paste of The Hunger Game and Harry Potter. For instance, when Alleria uses her power to impress the council (by throwing lightning at them…) and the fact that no one dared to pronounce the name of the villain…
Consequently, this leads me to speak about the characters.
Believe me, the only characters who helped me to finish this novel were the couple Aiwen and Tanyth. I loved everything about them, especially their chemistry! But we do not know why at the beginning, showing that there are a couple is not accepted in their world. An explication would have been appreciated because the story does not take place on Earth… Then, my joy was destroyed because of Tanyth's death…Why? Because I believe that Alleria should be the one dead since the beginning of the story.
Alleria, or a mix between the credulity of Clary Fay with the skill of Katniss Everdeen and the power of Donald in KH3… She did not make any sense to me and she was utterly annoying until the end… She is skilled with an arc but she cannot aim when she was attacked by a wolf and in the end, she says that the arc was -her- weapon… Anyway, I don’t like her because of her ‘I am special’ trope. The chosen one, you know. Care about me, me, me and me. Always complaning about her destiny. She dared to say so Tanyth that life is hard and that he should move on. 1 page later, she is complaining about her life... If I could strangle her.
Sadly, I really like the story but Alleria destroyed my excitement all along the novel.
First of all, I would like to acknowledge that I enjoyed the writing and the story in itself. Although some mistakes could have been dodged such as the wrong name used on page 158 and the repetition of ‘crane’ which was overused.
Then, some scenes were a copy paste of The Hunger Game and Harry Potter. For instance, when Alleria uses her power to impress the council (by throwing lightning at them…) and the fact that no one dared to pronounce the name of the villain…
Consequently, this leads me to speak about the characters.
Believe me, the only characters who helped me to finish this novel were the couple Aiwen and Tanyth. I loved everything about them, especially their chemistry! But we do not know why at the beginning, showing that there are a couple is not accepted in their world. An explication would have been appreciated because the story does not take place on Earth… Then, my joy was destroyed because of Tanyth's death…Why? Because I believe that Alleria should be the one dead since the beginning of the story.
Alleria, or a mix between the credulity of Clary Fay with the skill of Katniss Everdeen and the power of Donald in KH3… She did not make any sense to me and she was utterly annoying until the end… She is skilled with an arc but she cannot aim when she was attacked by a wolf and in the end, she says that the arc was -her- weapon… Anyway, I don’t like her because of her ‘I am special’ trope. The chosen one, you know. Care about me, me, me and me. Always complaning about her destiny. She dared to say so Tanyth that life is hard and that he should move on. 1 page later, she is complaining about her life... If I could strangle her.
Sadly, I really like the story but Alleria destroyed my excitement all along the novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
2.5 stars. This book could have used some serious editing but I understand that independent authors aren't able to afford that. I feel like this book should've been 150 pages longer to set up the world building, and just generally setting up more information about the characters. I found myself questioning if pieces of information had already been revealed - such as Alleria's powers depleting - earlier in the story, to my knowledge it hadn't and it left me confused.
When Aiwen and Tanyth are trying to enter Aralva, how are they able to make it through the sandstorm? A trap that was designed to kill anyone that dared to enter the town without specifically being invited in? Also, couldn't Imra just have gone in, spoken to the council and Alleria and gotten them to invite the boys in? There would be no need for them to suffer through the sandstorm.
I just think we needed more information, about everything. Why was Alleria the prophet? What is the world/universe they exist in? What are the powers the Alleria possesses? What is the magic system? What creatures exist there? What about her parents? I also think that deaths were used as plot devices in this book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was very obvious when her mother died in the first act. Then Alnor. Then Tanyth. After Tanyth, she finally defeated Naesaela, so it was "worth it".
Everything happened so quickly, after spending an evening with Alnor, he is Alleria's new father figure. Two days after meeting Imra, the boys had a "strong bond" with her, after two conversations with Imra, Alleria fancies her. Alnor was dead and gone in two sentences. Imra and Rosa mourned for him (again only using a couple of sentences) but Alleria didn't? Her father figure?
I'm being quite harsh and for that I am sorry, I just have a lot of questions. I did enjoy this book, and I think with some editing and experience, this author could be great, as the premise of this book is so promising.
When Aiwen and Tanyth are trying to enter Aralva, how are they able to make it through the sandstorm? A trap that was designed to kill anyone that dared to enter the town without specifically being invited in? Also, couldn't Imra just have gone in, spoken to the council and Alleria and gotten them to invite the boys in? There would be no need for them to suffer through the sandstorm.
I just think we needed more information, about everything. Why was Alleria the prophet? What is the world/universe they exist in? What are the powers the Alleria possesses? What is the magic system? What creatures exist there? What about her parents? I also think that deaths were used as plot devices in this book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was very obvious when her mother died in the first act. Then Alnor. Then Tanyth. After Tanyth, she finally defeated Naesaela, so it was "worth it".
Everything happened so quickly, after spending an evening with Alnor, he is Alleria's new father figure. Two days after meeting Imra, the boys had a "strong bond" with her, after two conversations with Imra, Alleria fancies her. Alnor was dead and gone in two sentences. Imra and Rosa mourned for him (again only using a couple of sentences) but Alleria didn't? Her father figure?
I'm being quite harsh and for that I am sorry, I just have a lot of questions. I did enjoy this book, and I think with some editing and experience, this author could be great, as the premise of this book is so promising.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2022
It was slightly slow to begin with but that was probably because I was in a reading slump when I picked it up and I’m not a fantasy reader BUT IT WAS SO GOOD I LOVED IT.
I have to say the ending was the worst part now this isn’t me saying it was written bad or it was slow to read oh no it was written beautifully and that’s what made it so much worse it reminded me of poetry. Incredibly heartbreakingly Beautiful. Mr William J.Wood I’ll have you find I was sobbing my heart out.
LETS TALK ABOUT AIWEN AND TANYTH OKAY CAUSE THEY WERE ADORABLE, THEY WERE THE MOMENT I FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD SIT IN THE BACK OF A CLASSROOM AND HOLD HANDS.
The whole “Knowing that another day without his love was another day closer to seeing him again”
WAS DISGUSTING I CANT BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THAT, ITS UNFAIR AND JUST PLAIN RUDE.
Out of all the people you could’ve killed off you killed him? It’s so mean AND ALNOR DYING AS WELL WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT 😒.
But anywho the book was incredible, it was sad, it was funny. Overall it should definitely be one of your next reads because it was amazing and it felt like I was going on an adventure with them and it would’ve made my 10 year old self happy. The representation in this book alone is probably one of the best parts especially the way it’s written, you can tell there’s an understanding between the author and the characters and I think that’s better than people pretending their in that position just to write a book.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE EVERYONE READ THIS !!!!!!!
🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
I have to say the ending was the worst part now this isn’t me saying it was written bad or it was slow to read oh no it was written beautifully and that’s what made it so much worse it reminded me of poetry. Incredibly heartbreakingly Beautiful. Mr William J.Wood I’ll have you find I was sobbing my heart out.
LETS TALK ABOUT AIWEN AND TANYTH OKAY CAUSE THEY WERE ADORABLE, THEY WERE THE MOMENT I FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD SIT IN THE BACK OF A CLASSROOM AND HOLD HANDS.
The whole “Knowing that another day without his love was another day closer to seeing him again”
WAS DISGUSTING I CANT BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THAT, ITS UNFAIR AND JUST PLAIN RUDE.
Out of all the people you could’ve killed off you killed him? It’s so mean AND ALNOR DYING AS WELL WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT 😒.
But anywho the book was incredible, it was sad, it was funny. Overall it should definitely be one of your next reads because it was amazing and it felt like I was going on an adventure with them and it would’ve made my 10 year old self happy. The representation in this book alone is probably one of the best parts especially the way it’s written, you can tell there’s an understanding between the author and the characters and I think that’s better than people pretending their in that position just to write a book.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE EVERYONE READ THIS !!!!!!!
🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2022
I was very VERY fortunate to have received this as an arc copy and will have it proudly on my shelf until the end of time!
Wow. What can I say? I am overwhelmed with pride and excitement at how dazzling this book is! The cover is my favourite cover on a book EVER and I really recommend if you can to buy the hardcover copy - it is SO beautiful!
But what waits inside is even better! The writing is so beautiful and descriptive. I cannot wait to read more of Bill’s prose! I didn’t want to annotate my copy as I want to keep it pristine but it is SO so beautiful, I’d be highlighting and tabbing all over the place.
What I love most about this story is the refreshing tale of friendship. Even though there is romance in here, the heart of the story is friendship. The main friendship group hit me right in the feels as it reminded me of my oldest friends ♥️
Though I do have to make a special mention to Naesaela as BADASS. And I would 1000% read a prequel based on her! So get on it Bill 🤨
This book has everything in it for everyone! The representation, the friendships, the adventure. Do not sleep on this debut. Now it’s time for me to go and wait for Bill to write his next book very impatiently.
Wow. What can I say? I am overwhelmed with pride and excitement at how dazzling this book is! The cover is my favourite cover on a book EVER and I really recommend if you can to buy the hardcover copy - it is SO beautiful!
But what waits inside is even better! The writing is so beautiful and descriptive. I cannot wait to read more of Bill’s prose! I didn’t want to annotate my copy as I want to keep it pristine but it is SO so beautiful, I’d be highlighting and tabbing all over the place.
What I love most about this story is the refreshing tale of friendship. Even though there is romance in here, the heart of the story is friendship. The main friendship group hit me right in the feels as it reminded me of my oldest friends ♥️
Though I do have to make a special mention to Naesaela as BADASS. And I would 1000% read a prequel based on her! So get on it Bill 🤨
This book has everything in it for everyone! The representation, the friendships, the adventure. Do not sleep on this debut. Now it’s time for me to go and wait for Bill to write his next book very impatiently.
May 2, 2023
DNF AT 110 PAGES
2.5/5 RATING
This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and it did not live up to the hype for me personally.
I'm so sad because I know this is a debut book and that the author worked so hard on it.
The premise of the book was interesting and sounded exciting, but the execution of the book was disappointing and underwhelming. It felt like there was little to no world-building and I felt as if I hadn't learnt a thing about the world. I couldn't emotionally connect to any of the characters, so when Aralva's mother was killed it was meh. The romance subplot was cute and fluffy and I loved their relationship. The only other thing was the pacing, it was all over the place and inconsistent, some scenes dragged on and others felt too rushed for the plot and needed more depth to add to character relationships and the plot.
I would love to try and reread this one day. I wish the author all the best with the rest of the series. I wish that it was my cup of tea, I'm intrigued enough to try and read it again before the end of the year.
2.5/5 RATING
This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and it did not live up to the hype for me personally.
I'm so sad because I know this is a debut book and that the author worked so hard on it.
The premise of the book was interesting and sounded exciting, but the execution of the book was disappointing and underwhelming. It felt like there was little to no world-building and I felt as if I hadn't learnt a thing about the world. I couldn't emotionally connect to any of the characters, so when Aralva's mother was killed it was meh. The romance subplot was cute and fluffy and I loved their relationship. The only other thing was the pacing, it was all over the place and inconsistent, some scenes dragged on and others felt too rushed for the plot and needed more depth to add to character relationships and the plot.
I would love to try and reread this one day. I wish the author all the best with the rest of the series. I wish that it was my cup of tea, I'm intrigued enough to try and read it again before the end of the year.
January 15, 2023
DNF. I got 100 pages in and I just couldn't keep going. The premise sounds exciting but the delivery wasn't there unfortunately. There was no world building, barely any character description (the main character still hadn't been given a look by the time I stopped) and the style was just so brief. It was frustrating that there were sections in the chapters a couple of paragraphs long, you'd expect a time lapse or location change but the next section carried straight on... so why the new section? Maybe if it had been padded up with more detail this could really be a great book.
January 28, 2023
This book was amazing. And for a debut novel?? Wow. It was really fast-paced and a quick read, and it had a lot of action that made you want to keep reading till the end. It also had such great LGBTQ+ representation and diversity. The only problem I had with this book was, well yes it was fast-paced, it was a bit too fast. It didn’t take the time to describe things such as the setting or details about the characters physical descriptions as much as I wanted. But I can move passed that. I’m so excited to read more books from him. I recommend!!
July 22, 2022
My first fantasy book and it was so good! I enjoyed the world building and the mystical names, the creativity and the creatures but most of all, the emotions I have felt through out this journey of a book. I will never forgive Bill for doing all this too me; Leaving behind some of my favourite characters. The only issue I had with the book was I wanted more, more of everything. However, I am so excited to see what comes next ! ❤️
July 12, 2023
I don't know how I forgot I read this gem but here's my review:
I read this book as soon as I possibly could and was not disappointed. The book seemed to have two parts that perfectly worked with one another. The diversity and inclusiveness of the book was so refreshing to see.
I'm an avid fantasy reader and this book was just such a wonderful book to read. The characters where fantastically named and it was just a brilliant book!
I read this book as soon as I possibly could and was not disappointed. The book seemed to have two parts that perfectly worked with one another. The diversity and inclusiveness of the book was so refreshing to see.
I'm an avid fantasy reader and this book was just such a wonderful book to read. The characters where fantastically named and it was just a brilliant book!
July 17, 2022
Fuck u bill.
No but in all seriousness, this book was fucking incredible!! I read it in 2 days which is a record for me!! I was HOOKED. So fast pace and the characters are all so loveable! I want to reread right now!!
Rating it 5 stars isnt enough! It deserves hundreds!!
Really proud of u bill, u wrote a fantastic story
No but in all seriousness, this book was fucking incredible!! I read it in 2 days which is a record for me!! I was HOOKED. So fast pace and the characters are all so loveable! I want to reread right now!!
Rating it 5 stars isnt enough! It deserves hundreds!!
Really proud of u bill, u wrote a fantastic story
January 13, 2023
I wanted to love this but it fell short for me,
So much of it felt rushed when all I wanted was more explanation. Area’s that felt important were dealt with in a paragraph and could have impacted so much harder with further description, feeling and detail.
I know how hard Bill has worked on this and applaud his concept, it truly was a great one. I just wish I’d liked it more.
So much of it felt rushed when all I wanted was more explanation. Area’s that felt important were dealt with in a paragraph and could have impacted so much harder with further description, feeling and detail.
I know how hard Bill has worked on this and applaud his concept, it truly was a great one. I just wish I’d liked it more.
March 3, 2023
I overall liked the book, I‘d give it 3,5 stars but for Goodreads it’s 4 but still have some things.
I think the pacing is rather mid, some things happen too fast for me and are a little too predictable but overall great book. I really liked the characters and love the pronunciation guide at the end though.
I think the pacing is rather mid, some things happen too fast for me and are a little too predictable but overall great book. I really liked the characters and love the pronunciation guide at the end though.
August 27, 2023
3.5 stars
I genuinely really enjoyed this book. It was a good, fast-paced story. The characters are loveable, and I'm really looking forward to the rewritten version of this. I agree with the author's decision to rewrite, because there are a lot of plotholes and spelling mistakes that need to be corrected, but I cannot wait to see where he goes with these characters and the story!
I genuinely really enjoyed this book. It was a good, fast-paced story. The characters are loveable, and I'm really looking forward to the rewritten version of this. I agree with the author's decision to rewrite, because there are a lot of plotholes and spelling mistakes that need to be corrected, but I cannot wait to see where he goes with these characters and the story!
January 7, 2022
I can’t wait to read this book.
First of all, LOOK AT THE COVER. I AM IN LOVE IT’S GORGEOUS.
Second of all, IT’S QUEER. I love queer books.
Third of all, IT’S FANTASY. Fantasy is my favourite genre.
It has everything I want in a book, I can’t wait to read it!!
First of all, LOOK AT THE COVER. I AM IN LOVE IT’S GORGEOUS.
Second of all, IT’S QUEER. I love queer books.
Third of all, IT’S FANTASY. Fantasy is my favourite genre.
It has everything I want in a book, I can’t wait to read it!!
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