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Dearest Darkness
Tragedy doesn’t always come in the form of brutalization or starvation, but perhaps is most dangerous when a person confuses heaving sobs as their old nighttime lullabies.
Emotionally raw and morally torn, Briar of Zaffre is an Elvish princess who lives entirely different from her people. Due to her immense magical capabilities, she’s kept apart from others to keep secrets which, in the wrong hands, might break the infrastructural threads of reality. But when her dark gifts continuously pull her focus away from the norms of society, she constantly grapples with specific social expectations and the seemingly villainous tendencies she was born with. All she wants in life is to become unforgettable; needing the comfort she’s not the monster she perceives she is. And so, becoming a hero is her singular obsession. Perfectly opposite of who—or what she fears lives inside her tattered soul.
When an enemy to the crown discovers her potential and breaks into the castle, she’s forced into the powerless mortal realm, where she has to overcome her bias’s against ‘mortal pigs’ and learn how to find happiness in simplicity and connection. Briar’s path to greatness is riddled with challenges that catalyze the beginning of the largest war known in existence. But before she can embrace her role in the impending war, she must first escape the magical damper locking her in the mortal realm. Even this is marred when some of her new connections steal her from her destiny by craftily sliding her down the slippery slope of treachery and betrayal.
Emotionally raw and morally torn, Briar of Zaffre is an Elvish princess who lives entirely different from her people. Due to her immense magical capabilities, she’s kept apart from others to keep secrets which, in the wrong hands, might break the infrastructural threads of reality. But when her dark gifts continuously pull her focus away from the norms of society, she constantly grapples with specific social expectations and the seemingly villainous tendencies she was born with. All she wants in life is to become unforgettable; needing the comfort she’s not the monster she perceives she is. And so, becoming a hero is her singular obsession. Perfectly opposite of who—or what she fears lives inside her tattered soul.
When an enemy to the crown discovers her potential and breaks into the castle, she’s forced into the powerless mortal realm, where she has to overcome her bias’s against ‘mortal pigs’ and learn how to find happiness in simplicity and connection. Briar’s path to greatness is riddled with challenges that catalyze the beginning of the largest war known in existence. But before she can embrace her role in the impending war, she must first escape the magical damper locking her in the mortal realm. Even this is marred when some of her new connections steal her from her destiny by craftily sliding her down the slippery slope of treachery and betrayal.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2021
11 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 4, 2022
This book was a little rough to get into, it seemed to stall slightly at the beginning and its my personal opinion that the main character Briar seemed slightly whiny. However the book picked up fast after chapter 7 and had me hooked till the end. One of those can't stop thinking about it, wanting to finish. The ending did seem a little hurry up and finish, jamming everything together at last minute. But R. Hollyn did a perfect ending leaving me dying to read the next book. I will be of course getting the second book once it hits the shelves.
February 6, 2022
Took a minute to get into but as soon as this book hooked you it was twist after turn! Noah is definitely my favourite. I can’t wait for the second book
February 1, 2022
The story was good, definitely has potential, but the author has GOT to get a better editor/proofreader. Words like vial instead of vile. Prerogative instead of perogative. Non-sense instead of nonsense. Scarring instead of scaring. Using words in the possessive form when it should be the plural form. It went on and on. Not to mention basic things like capitalizing at the beginning of a sentence!! It was a complete distraction and really slowed me down reading it.
January 13, 2022
If you’ve never read Elf fantasy type genre this is a great place to start. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers!!
Oh my goodness this book was so well rounded. I loved the main character and her development. She is written so well! Not to mention the creativity of the author and the depths of her imagination! All the powers, all the creatures, all the parallelism, all the internal dialogue! Not to mention the creativity of how expressive the main character is! From the very beginning of the book you are so invested! Will she succeed or fail? Will she allow herself to open up and let people in? Is she falling in love ? This author writes so eloquently! She writes in such a way that makes you hate certain characters and love others. Ah Noah! I loved him from the very beginning. I can’t help but fall for him as a reader and pine for Olivia to fall for him as well. So many great plot twists and the author always had you second guessing who the true enemy was. I happen to have a inkling about who the bad guys are and so I knew it was ****** but the author developed it so well with many twists along the way!! Love this book and am definitely excited for the rest of the series! I’d love to see this be a movie one day. I am also going to buy it on paper pack one day and display it on my trophy case( aka bookshelf).
Oh my goodness this book was so well rounded. I loved the main character and her development. She is written so well! Not to mention the creativity of the author and the depths of her imagination! All the powers, all the creatures, all the parallelism, all the internal dialogue! Not to mention the creativity of how expressive the main character is! From the very beginning of the book you are so invested! Will she succeed or fail? Will she allow herself to open up and let people in? Is she falling in love ? This author writes so eloquently! She writes in such a way that makes you hate certain characters and love others. Ah Noah! I loved him from the very beginning. I can’t help but fall for him as a reader and pine for Olivia to fall for him as well. So many great plot twists and the author always had you second guessing who the true enemy was. I happen to have a inkling about who the bad guys are and so I knew it was ****** but the author developed it so well with many twists along the way!! Love this book and am definitely excited for the rest of the series! I’d love to see this be a movie one day. I am also going to buy it on paper pack one day and display it on my trophy case( aka bookshelf).
February 5, 2022
This book was a hard read for me. While interesting, I thought it dragged in a lot of areas. I have decided that I will continue storyline, and read book 2 as I am interested in finding out what happens
January 9, 2022
This book was definitely a fun ride! A little slow in the beginning the with protagonist being whiny but it picks up about 40 pages in. Excited to read the next book!
February 21, 2022
I received an copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinion is my own.
This book is just not for me.
This book has a lot of potential. The beginning just throws you in without much explanation or world building.
A prologue to close the gap between reader and author would have been incredibly helpful to understand what was happening in the story. I felt almost as if I was on the second book of series I hadn't read before or was missing something.
There are a few things that don't fit the time period well but overall the story just didn't not grab me as a reader. I felt lost and could not connect with the female protagonist at all.
I've tried this book several times and was just unable to finish.
This book is just not for me.
This book has a lot of potential. The beginning just throws you in without much explanation or world building.
A prologue to close the gap between reader and author would have been incredibly helpful to understand what was happening in the story. I felt almost as if I was on the second book of series I hadn't read before or was missing something.
There are a few things that don't fit the time period well but overall the story just didn't not grab me as a reader. I felt lost and could not connect with the female protagonist at all.
I've tried this book several times and was just unable to finish.
February 27, 2022
I had just left my tower, and I didn’t want to fall in love yet.
I wasn’t one of those princesses.
4 stars
Dearest Darkness follows Briar, a young Elvish princess with immense and varied powers. During an attack on her people, she is hurled into the human realm, where she must navigate politics, supernatural creatures, and worst of all - the smelly humans. This YA novel is a mix of elvish and supernatural creature fantasy, with fragments of Outlander charm.
Briar’s character is a little difficult for me to connect to. At first, she keeps her emotions very closed off from those she doesn’t know, portraying a tough outer-shell. She’s this otherworldly beautiful girl, and appears vain, broody, and is very proud of herself, which made me dislike her at moments. However, as the story progresses, Briar’s redeeming qualities grow significantly. She develops close-knit friendships and displays a lot of care and concern for her friends. It seems that Briar was raised to be this way, as a show-no-weaknesses type of safety strategy which I can understand but didn’t quite enjoy. I’m hoping that Briar continues to develop mentally and emotionally in the sequel. After all, Briar does say:
I’m more than just a killing machine, you know.
I loved the magical and world-building aspects seen throughout the novel. At one point Briar transforms into a phoenix, dive-bombs some evil witches, bursts into flames and is reborn. That was phenomenal. And the descriptions of Briar practicing shadow camouflage and shadow mimicry were incredibly interesting. Whilst these powers alone are cool enough, Briar has raw magic which means she can do every form of magic there is. I’m not sure if I like this, as the overpowered trope has been done before. However, I believe that the reason she has all of this power is because she is the linchpin, prophesised to end all wars. I’m looking forward to finding out how exactly that happens.
The supporting characters were great. I really enjoyed Hunter, Selene, Rhea, Mizra and Noah. I’m interested in seeing what happens with those characters in the next instalment. The few love interests were a bit lacklustre, and I didn’t think they’d last as love interests. There were many questionable actions made by characters such as Clareon and Malcolm, and it was good to see all those lose ties come together towards the end of the novel.
There were some minor spelling and grammar errors which could have been fixed with another edit or two, but it didn’t impair my enjoyment of this novel at all. Dearest Darkness ends on a large cliff-hanger, so I’m definitely looking forward to reading the second book when it releases in March.
Favourite quote:
The human heart was the strongest thing, I decided. It broke over and over but kept beating, kept trying, kept loving. And that was incredible.
I wasn’t one of those princesses.
4 stars
Dearest Darkness follows Briar, a young Elvish princess with immense and varied powers. During an attack on her people, she is hurled into the human realm, where she must navigate politics, supernatural creatures, and worst of all - the smelly humans. This YA novel is a mix of elvish and supernatural creature fantasy, with fragments of Outlander charm.
Briar’s character is a little difficult for me to connect to. At first, she keeps her emotions very closed off from those she doesn’t know, portraying a tough outer-shell. She’s this otherworldly beautiful girl, and appears vain, broody, and is very proud of herself, which made me dislike her at moments. However, as the story progresses, Briar’s redeeming qualities grow significantly. She develops close-knit friendships and displays a lot of care and concern for her friends. It seems that Briar was raised to be this way, as a show-no-weaknesses type of safety strategy which I can understand but didn’t quite enjoy. I’m hoping that Briar continues to develop mentally and emotionally in the sequel. After all, Briar does say:
I’m more than just a killing machine, you know.
I loved the magical and world-building aspects seen throughout the novel. At one point Briar transforms into a phoenix, dive-bombs some evil witches, bursts into flames and is reborn. That was phenomenal. And the descriptions of Briar practicing shadow camouflage and shadow mimicry were incredibly interesting. Whilst these powers alone are cool enough, Briar has raw magic which means she can do every form of magic there is. I’m not sure if I like this, as the overpowered trope has been done before. However, I believe that the reason she has all of this power is because she is the linchpin, prophesised to end all wars. I’m looking forward to finding out how exactly that happens.
The supporting characters were great. I really enjoyed Hunter, Selene, Rhea, Mizra and Noah. I’m interested in seeing what happens with those characters in the next instalment. The few love interests were a bit lacklustre, and I didn’t think they’d last as love interests. There were many questionable actions made by characters such as Clareon and Malcolm, and it was good to see all those lose ties come together towards the end of the novel.
There were some minor spelling and grammar errors which could have been fixed with another edit or two, but it didn’t impair my enjoyment of this novel at all. Dearest Darkness ends on a large cliff-hanger, so I’m definitely looking forward to reading the second book when it releases in March.
Favourite quote:
The human heart was the strongest thing, I decided. It broke over and over but kept beating, kept trying, kept loving. And that was incredible.
January 16, 2022
I love young adult novels, I am 26 years old and it's been my favorite genre since I was like 12. This book was right up my alley as well.
As other reviews have stated, the beginning is a little slow. However, it only lasted a few chapters. I find it hard to get into a book if the first half lays out backstory before you get to the actual plot - this is nothing like that. It just takes a few chapters to lay out the land. That being said, there was a lot of talk in those early chapters about magic and hierarchy things that were hard to follow. I initially thought that because I was having a hard time following it that the book would be hard to read - again, this lasted only the first few chapters. After that, it really does take off and the adventure begins. The character development of the main character Briar is really amazing, and it's definitely one of those stories you have to wonder who the true friends and true enemies are right until the end. It's somewhat predictable but not in a boring way, while I had a suspicion all along about how it would end, there was enough to keep me guessing and I was never totally sure so it still kept me on my toes. Wish I could buy a physical copy as I prefer those to digital, will definitely read book #2
As other reviews have stated, the beginning is a little slow. However, it only lasted a few chapters. I find it hard to get into a book if the first half lays out backstory before you get to the actual plot - this is nothing like that. It just takes a few chapters to lay out the land. That being said, there was a lot of talk in those early chapters about magic and hierarchy things that were hard to follow. I initially thought that because I was having a hard time following it that the book would be hard to read - again, this lasted only the first few chapters. After that, it really does take off and the adventure begins. The character development of the main character Briar is really amazing, and it's definitely one of those stories you have to wonder who the true friends and true enemies are right until the end. It's somewhat predictable but not in a boring way, while I had a suspicion all along about how it would end, there was enough to keep me guessing and I was never totally sure so it still kept me on my toes. Wish I could buy a physical copy as I prefer those to digital, will definitely read book #2
January 17, 2022
Page Turning Fantasy!
Summary: I got sucked completely in during the second chapter and could not put this down!
R. Hollyn weaves a beautifully written and captivating fantasy story through the eyes of the main character Briar (who also goes by her middle name, á la alias, Olivia). A misfit young royal fae who goes from a busy life of training to being thrust into the burdening role of being the linchpin. At her core is the mysterious dark power, raw magic, that is unlike anything her people are gifted with.
With her power diminished by the damper in the realm of the mortals she is forced to confront her own inner demons and remember training so she can get back to her home and save her family. But can the keep her darkness at bay to become the hero she has always dreamed of becoming? She makes unexpected allies in the mortal realm as secrets begin to unravel.
The characters in this book are full of life, the world building is done exceptionally, and the ending leaves a reader craving more. A fantasy that once you get into it will keep the pages turning. There is some sexual tensions that are tastefully done and some violence. I would recommend to readers new adult and up.
Summary: I got sucked completely in during the second chapter and could not put this down!
R. Hollyn weaves a beautifully written and captivating fantasy story through the eyes of the main character Briar (who also goes by her middle name, á la alias, Olivia). A misfit young royal fae who goes from a busy life of training to being thrust into the burdening role of being the linchpin. At her core is the mysterious dark power, raw magic, that is unlike anything her people are gifted with.
With her power diminished by the damper in the realm of the mortals she is forced to confront her own inner demons and remember training so she can get back to her home and save her family. But can the keep her darkness at bay to become the hero she has always dreamed of becoming? She makes unexpected allies in the mortal realm as secrets begin to unravel.
The characters in this book are full of life, the world building is done exceptionally, and the ending leaves a reader craving more. A fantasy that once you get into it will keep the pages turning. There is some sexual tensions that are tastefully done and some violence. I would recommend to readers new adult and up.
January 18, 2022
This book pleasantly surprised me. I appreciate the kind of world building the author tried to accomplish at the beginning, but it felt a little slow and more focused on Briar being whiny than actually giving us background knowledge that we needed to move forward.
That being said… after the first few chapters I was hooked. Every I thought I had a grasp on what would happen, the author tripped me up and made me question everything. Briar turned from an annoying whiny girl in those few chapters to someone I felt true feelings for and loved to see her grow and change throughout the book. The story line was gripping and the ending was set up perfectly to make me hate waiting till the next books release.
The one thing in this book I had trouble with was the way the dialect was written. I assume that it was supposed to be a sort of Irish/Scottish type accent for some of the characters, but the way it was portrayed felt just slightly off. I found myself having to reread some of the lines to get an understanding of what they were trying to say.
Overall, if I had a friend who was into adventure and fantasy I would definitely recommend this book.
That being said… after the first few chapters I was hooked. Every I thought I had a grasp on what would happen, the author tripped me up and made me question everything. Briar turned from an annoying whiny girl in those few chapters to someone I felt true feelings for and loved to see her grow and change throughout the book. The story line was gripping and the ending was set up perfectly to make me hate waiting till the next books release.
The one thing in this book I had trouble with was the way the dialect was written. I assume that it was supposed to be a sort of Irish/Scottish type accent for some of the characters, but the way it was portrayed felt just slightly off. I found myself having to reread some of the lines to get an understanding of what they were trying to say.
Overall, if I had a friend who was into adventure and fantasy I would definitely recommend this book.
January 21, 2022
A little wordy in the beginning and in a few other places.
A little too much show don't tell in too much detail.
The plot arc is pretty much there in the first chapter.
In my personal opinion the second chapter is where I really got hooked.
There's a place where a battle needs to be expanded on and another place where the woods is explained in too much detail.
I love the character development throughout the story.
The main character is well written and clearly the protagonist from the beginning .
I loved how some things didn't seem to make sense throughout the plot but there was still enough to keep me reading.
All my questions were answered near the ending and I loved that she kept me wanting to know more throughout the entire book and even at the end.
I seriously hope you write a second book soon in this series.
I could read this again and again.
Would definitely change a few things and work on the beginning a bit.
I think the beginning could be shrunk down and made in a prolougue without so much unneeded wordiness.
I think it would absolutely draw the reader in more.
Can't wait to read more of your work, Rachel!
❤❤❤❤
A little too much show don't tell in too much detail.
The plot arc is pretty much there in the first chapter.
In my personal opinion the second chapter is where I really got hooked.
There's a place where a battle needs to be expanded on and another place where the woods is explained in too much detail.
I love the character development throughout the story.
The main character is well written and clearly the protagonist from the beginning .
I loved how some things didn't seem to make sense throughout the plot but there was still enough to keep me reading.
All my questions were answered near the ending and I loved that she kept me wanting to know more throughout the entire book and even at the end.
I seriously hope you write a second book soon in this series.
I could read this again and again.
Would definitely change a few things and work on the beginning a bit.
I think the beginning could be shrunk down and made in a prolougue without so much unneeded wordiness.
I think it would absolutely draw the reader in more.
Can't wait to read more of your work, Rachel!
❤❤❤❤
March 31, 2022
I was asked to review this, and I'm only sorry it took me so long to get to it!
Oh my goodness, I loved it! I wasn't sure what to expect, as fantasy isn't my typical go-to, but it was incredible!
I don't want to give any spoilers, but the author kept me guessing on who's the bad guy, and who's trustworthy, and that NEVER happens. I was suspicious of everyone, right up to the end, and now I have to buy the next book!
The descriptive writing, even in the complex fight scenes, had me immersed in a way that I don't usually find myself. It's a fantasy novel, but the scenes weren't written in a way that made them unbelievable to the point of distraction, if that makes sense.
The female lead is relatable. She's not ridiculously tough and inhuman, and she's not weak and needy, either. She's otherworldly strong, but humanly relatable. The complexity of her emotions about the other characters is believable and interesting to see unfold, especially as we don't know who's false and who's true, any more than she does.
It's getting hard to not give spoilers, so I'm going to end this with READ IT! It's absolutely wonderful!
Oh my goodness, I loved it! I wasn't sure what to expect, as fantasy isn't my typical go-to, but it was incredible!
I don't want to give any spoilers, but the author kept me guessing on who's the bad guy, and who's trustworthy, and that NEVER happens. I was suspicious of everyone, right up to the end, and now I have to buy the next book!
The descriptive writing, even in the complex fight scenes, had me immersed in a way that I don't usually find myself. It's a fantasy novel, but the scenes weren't written in a way that made them unbelievable to the point of distraction, if that makes sense.
The female lead is relatable. She's not ridiculously tough and inhuman, and she's not weak and needy, either. She's otherworldly strong, but humanly relatable. The complexity of her emotions about the other characters is believable and interesting to see unfold, especially as we don't know who's false and who's true, any more than she does.
It's getting hard to not give spoilers, so I'm going to end this with READ IT! It's absolutely wonderful!
January 19, 2022
An elven princess with wild magic. Nine realms and a war for power. When a mysterious man arrives at a masquerade and tries to kidnap Briar she escapes to the Mortal realm. Once there though, it is a constant test of her own strength and wits to determine who she can trust, how to get home, and why she is in danger.
A slow start rapidly blossoms into a riveting tale that has everything needed for an epic fantasy adventure. Hollyn has written a world in which the reader gets ensconced in the mystery and intrigue alongside the characters. A dramatic end leaves you craving the next installment to find out what happens to Briar and those she loves.
My one complaint: the first 50 pages are not very engaging and the end seems a little rushed. If less were given at the beginning and more at the end the story would feel perfectly balanced. Regardless, Dearest Darkness is a story I would highly recommend and I WILL be getting the sequel as soon as it is available!
Overall: 4.5/5 stars
A slow start rapidly blossoms into a riveting tale that has everything needed for an epic fantasy adventure. Hollyn has written a world in which the reader gets ensconced in the mystery and intrigue alongside the characters. A dramatic end leaves you craving the next installment to find out what happens to Briar and those she loves.
My one complaint: the first 50 pages are not very engaging and the end seems a little rushed. If less were given at the beginning and more at the end the story would feel perfectly balanced. Regardless, Dearest Darkness is a story I would highly recommend and I WILL be getting the sequel as soon as it is available!
Overall: 4.5/5 stars
February 6, 2022
I liked the story line pared down to the bones of it. For me, there was too much internal philosophy about life. I also felt like the chain of action was random as if even the author didn’t know where the story was going as she wrote it. Because I know this is a multiple book series, I feel like the author indulged in a lot of description because she could envision what will happen in the upcoming books and that the action will take place there, but it was not enough to keep me hooked in this one. Olivia kept bringing up this sense of urgency, but it took her six weeks to get her act together to return…even taking on a mission to track down the shifters, witches and vampires before trying to get to the gate. I know she had to figure out the damper, but according to her inner thoughts, she would do anything to get back and save her family and her realm. All of that said, the characters are solid and enjoyable which kept me reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2022
This book had me on the edge of my seat!! It took a minute to get into to because there was a lot of explanations for the magic system and world building but once the action started you're pulled right in.
The fight scenes are something Aelin Galathynius would be proud of, full of magic and danger that had me jumping lines.
The characters are interesting and really wriggle into your heart - I wanna be friends with Mizra, Noah and Quinton!! Briar's character development is great but I can't wait to see her grow stronger in the next book!
The plot is *chef's kiss* and the twists at the end are fantastic and so unexpected!! I kinda wish the final challenge was drawn out more but the shortness of it showed Briar's fear and the panic controlling her.
So many thanks to @rhollynwriter for sending me her book, I never would've found it otherwise and I've got a feeling that it may just become a favourite series.
The fight scenes are something Aelin Galathynius would be proud of, full of magic and danger that had me jumping lines.
The characters are interesting and really wriggle into your heart - I wanna be friends with Mizra, Noah and Quinton!! Briar's character development is great but I can't wait to see her grow stronger in the next book!
The plot is *chef's kiss* and the twists at the end are fantastic and so unexpected!! I kinda wish the final challenge was drawn out more but the shortness of it showed Briar's fear and the panic controlling her.
So many thanks to @rhollynwriter for sending me her book, I never would've found it otherwise and I've got a feeling that it may just become a favourite series.
January 18, 2022
Wow! I totally loved this book and can't wait for the next one!
The main character Briar is fantastic, I love her dark, powerful yet caring side. She is a well rounded character that I enjoyed reading and following her story. The struggle she deals with internally to who she wants to be and what she could easily give into.
The ending had me wanting the next book now!
A few of the character end reveals I had a feeling something was going on with them, it definitely kept me wondering the whole time what was going on with them and being suspicious of them.
The world building was fantastic. I loved the mix of elves, fae, humans, witches, magic, no magic, different universes, gods and goddesses.
I'm honestly excited and looking forward to reading the next book, it definitely left on a cliffhanger.
The main character Briar is fantastic, I love her dark, powerful yet caring side. She is a well rounded character that I enjoyed reading and following her story. The struggle she deals with internally to who she wants to be and what she could easily give into.
The ending had me wanting the next book now!
A few of the character end reveals I had a feeling something was going on with them, it definitely kept me wondering the whole time what was going on with them and being suspicious of them.
The world building was fantastic. I loved the mix of elves, fae, humans, witches, magic, no magic, different universes, gods and goddesses.
I'm honestly excited and looking forward to reading the next book, it definitely left on a cliffhanger.
January 24, 2022
“The human heart was the strongest thing, I decided. It broke over and over, but kept beating, kept trying, kept loving. And that was incredible.”
Thanks to the author for giving me an ARC of this book. The story of Briar had my heart broken, then fixed it and broke it again. She lives in constant disappointment from herself more than anyone else. I’m sure there’s more to this in the next book especially after what happened in the end of this book. Can’t wait to read the second book tbh. I love everything supernatural and this book introduced a lot of creatures I love reading about; elves, vampires, witches, etc. I would surely love to read how the prophecy will unfold and how these creatures will play their part on the war. I can’t wait to see how Briar will conquer her own darkness and control her own power. While reading, I can’t deny that this book had my trust issues triggered.
Thanks to the author for giving me an ARC of this book. The story of Briar had my heart broken, then fixed it and broke it again. She lives in constant disappointment from herself more than anyone else. I’m sure there’s more to this in the next book especially after what happened in the end of this book. Can’t wait to read the second book tbh. I love everything supernatural and this book introduced a lot of creatures I love reading about; elves, vampires, witches, etc. I would surely love to read how the prophecy will unfold and how these creatures will play their part on the war. I can’t wait to see how Briar will conquer her own darkness and control her own power. While reading, I can’t deny that this book had my trust issues triggered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2022
Firstly I want to thank the author for the arc copy for this awesome book..... The starting was a bit confusing to me but as the book progressed the plot development, the MC development and the storyline was really engrossing and good. I really loved the character of Briar, her loneliness, longing for love and acceptance, the apathetic mask she thinks she had to wear in public, her courage and her sass is beautifully written.... The other side characters like Red, Quinton, Mizra and Noah are also so loveable... The doubtful negative characters and the twist at the climax is really something... And it is my second elf book first being married to the Elf king(I've read mostly Fea MC books)..... Altogether it is an awesome start to a series I want to read more of... I can't wait for the next one coming in march.
February 10, 2022
This was my first dip into the fantasy genre. I found it easy to become absorbed into the world of magic Hollyn created, I didn't want to put the book down!
Briar is thrown into a realm she isn't familiar with and has no choice but to protect herself as well as others while trying to portray confidence even though she is alone and trying to fight off the darkness she believes is in her. Along the way, she builds relationships that bring her comfort while other relationships threaten to bring her harm. Hollyn writes in a way that makes you feel as if you were on the journey alongside Briar.
This book is a great mix of fantasy and the world of mortals.It was amusing to read Briar's view of how the mortals live and intriguing to learn about the different realms. I look forward to reading the second book in the series!
Briar is thrown into a realm she isn't familiar with and has no choice but to protect herself as well as others while trying to portray confidence even though she is alone and trying to fight off the darkness she believes is in her. Along the way, she builds relationships that bring her comfort while other relationships threaten to bring her harm. Hollyn writes in a way that makes you feel as if you were on the journey alongside Briar.
This book is a great mix of fantasy and the world of mortals.It was amusing to read Briar's view of how the mortals live and intriguing to learn about the different realms. I look forward to reading the second book in the series!
March 7, 2022
Magical Elves, dark Witches, evil Fae and Vampires......OH MY! This book draws you in within the first 10 pages and doesn't let you go until you reach the end. If life didn't require me to accomplish other things, I would have read it all in a single day!!! Briar is a deep and complicated character who starts to find herself through the help of loving humans and obstacles thrown her way. Noah and Mizra are heartwarming and loveable which help Briar to grow. The plot twists are just on the tip of your conscience but then you are swung in the opposite direction and left guessing until the final couple pages keeping you engaged and wanting more! Thank you Rachel for writing such a captivating world with rich characters and an immersive storyline that keeps you engaged and dying for more! Can't wait for more from this brilliant author!!!
September 11, 2022
I loved this book! Very well written and you felt for the characters. You felt for Briar and what she was going through and how much she cares for Hunter and Noah. You saw through the writing her innermost thoughts and vulnerabilities and the proverbial mask she had to wear in public. Briar is not afraid to tell it like it is and be in your face when she needs to be. I admire that. I agree with her that cream of sardine soup sound truly heinous! I sympathised with Briar’s plight, how she was disdainful of humans at first, but gained a begrudging respect for them and how they accomplished so much without magical powers. I found the book inspiring, really loved it and am looking forward to the sequel!
February 26, 2023
I took way too long to read this but by no fault of the author and more by fault of having a newborn. I do remember as I see stated in other reviews that it took me a moment to get into but this fantasy takes you on a ride. I absolutely loved it. I was so drawn into this world I found myself just craving this book. Craving to finish it. I love fantasy and YA literature. This hit the spot for me. I cannot thank the author enough for the exchange of an adventure for an honest review. My only regret is taking so long to finish it and write this review. I'm now itching to get my hands on the next book! I highly recommend for fantasy lovers with an amazing female protagonist! 10/10 recommend! Thank you R. Hollyn for creating this awesome tale and sharing it with me.
January 4, 2022
As someone that struggles getting into new books, I was pleased that you didn't have to wait long at all for some action! Once the ball got rolling, you were in for a fun ride. I loved the concept of the protagonist's magic, especially her eyes changing color with her mood/power - so unique & so cool!! This story had me wanting to keep going and see what happened next. I do wish the ending was different... It seemed like it it started to go in one direction, but ran out of room to grow so the author just killed a character and followed it up with another plot twist. There was a lot of foreshadowing so the big reveal of the villain at the end wasn't a huge shock to me, but I loved every part of the build-up.
I hope more people come across this book, because it truly was amazing and deserves some hype!! Excited to see how this series unfolds with the next piece coming out later this year! :)
I hope more people come across this book, because it truly was amazing and deserves some hype!! Excited to see how this series unfolds with the next piece coming out later this year! :)
January 4, 2022
Stuck between 3.5 and 4 stars. I enjoyed it and found it entertaining, wanting to know what happens next. However, I found the main protagonist a bit hard to relate to as she gave off a lot of those angtsy nobody-understands-me teen vibes that I've had a hard time relating to since high-school. She definitely does developing more emotionally as the story goes on, which I appreciated.
Some of the big "plot-twists" that came up were kind of predictable fairly early on for me, but I've noticed that with many of the books I've read, so it very well could just be me. However, a couple of the characters did keep me tentatively probing into their motives.
I'll definitely check out the next book
Some of the big "plot-twists" that came up were kind of predictable fairly early on for me, but I've noticed that with many of the books I've read, so it very well could just be me. However, a couple of the characters did keep me tentatively probing into their motives.
I'll definitely check out the next book
January 12, 2022
The beginning was a tad slow but it wasnt long before i was captivated by the story. The main character does sometimes get a little carried away with sentimental inner monologues but it is fitting in a way and really shows her growth as the story progresses. The storyline itself was refreshing. It didnt feel like i was reading just another version of the same story; as is all too common with this genre. By the end my stomach was in knots with nervous anticipation and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2 when it is released.
January 19, 2022
This was a good book with a nice cliff hanger at the end. It was hard to get in to at the beginning but definitely got better.
The character development was kind of slow with a whiny main character and I think that's why it was a slow start.
I appreciate the way magic works in this book and it is used well. I also like the balance between the realms.
The twist at the end isn't surprising at all and I feel that our main character is very naive when it's convenient but very suspicious otherwise.
I did enjoy this book and will read the next one when it comes out.
The character development was kind of slow with a whiny main character and I think that's why it was a slow start.
I appreciate the way magic works in this book and it is used well. I also like the balance between the realms.
The twist at the end isn't surprising at all and I feel that our main character is very naive when it's convenient but very suspicious otherwise.
I did enjoy this book and will read the next one when it comes out.
January 19, 2022
First off I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read her book! Very well written!
I was honestly hooked from the start. I had immediate interest in all the characters pretty much from the start.
The character development was really good, you could see the growth in the main character as you go through each chapter! I definitly fell in love with a few of them!
This is a book that makes you want to keep reading more, I can't wait for the next one to be released!!
Great work!
I was honestly hooked from the start. I had immediate interest in all the characters pretty much from the start.
The character development was really good, you could see the growth in the main character as you go through each chapter! I definitly fell in love with a few of them!
This is a book that makes you want to keep reading more, I can't wait for the next one to be released!!
Great work!
January 28, 2022
To be honest it started out really slow. The first half of the book I had a hard time getting into it. But once I got half way through the story really started to develop and get more interesting. Briar annoyed me in the beginning, she's kind of dumb. But she grows on you. I got tired of people being infatuated with her and obsessed with how beautiful she is, I also hated how she was good at everything and won all her fights. Although I have these issues it still turned into a very good story and I am looking forward to see what happens next.
February 16, 2022
Thank you to the author who sent me this book in return for my honest review.
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Briar, an elvish princess, has extensive magic powers which could be dangerous in the wrong hands. When her kingdom is under attack, she is sent to the human realm to hide.
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This one was a little hard for me. It started slow, but did pick up and I was hooked. There were parts throughout that were a bit wordy so I’d lose some interest for a bit. I think part of my problem was I couldn’t connect to Briar. She was a broody, whiny teenager (which I know was the point), but boy, she made me mad several times with her naivety. It ended on a major cliffhanger so I will definitely be picking up book two when it comes out next month!
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Briar, an elvish princess, has extensive magic powers which could be dangerous in the wrong hands. When her kingdom is under attack, she is sent to the human realm to hide.
.
This one was a little hard for me. It started slow, but did pick up and I was hooked. There were parts throughout that were a bit wordy so I’d lose some interest for a bit. I think part of my problem was I couldn’t connect to Briar. She was a broody, whiny teenager (which I know was the point), but boy, she made me mad several times with her naivety. It ended on a major cliffhanger so I will definitely be picking up book two when it comes out next month!
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