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The Darkening #1
The Darkening
Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen's soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman's axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen's soldiers--led by a paranoid prince--catch up to Vesper's father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.
Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic.
Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.
Even cheat her way into his cold heart.
But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, she'll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family's secrets, or follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm.
Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic.
Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.
Even cheat her way into his cold heart.
But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, she'll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family's secrets, or follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
571 people are currently reading
53670 people want to read
About the author
Sunya Mara
3 books520 followersSunya Mara grew up in six different cities across five different states and now calls Los Angeles home. She studied film and business at the University of Southern California and went on to write and illustrate at Kobe Bryant’s Granity Studios. When not telling stories, she spends her time haunting old movie theaters and staring at museum walls.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,800 reviews
June 24, 2022
I thought the concept of the world and monsters made of storm was really cool. And I was looking forward to the main character having more interactions with the prince, because based on the blurb it seems like they might have an interesting dynamic. But the beginning was so slow and boring. It just didn't grab me.
Another reason that I couldn't continue with the book was that the characterization of the MC was so cliche. She was the usual 'fierce character' trying to play the hero, getting others into trouble, and spending the whole book sulking and feeling sorry for herself. Oh, we're also supposed to have sympathy for her because she feels instant guilt for everything that is wrong in the world.
This style of characterization is just so incredibly tiresome and annoying to me. I just want to read books about girls with a healthy sense of self-preservation, and enough brain cells to realise they're not responsible for all the wrong in the world. Is that too much to ask?
Another reason that I couldn't continue with the book was that the characterization of the MC was so cliche. She was the usual 'fierce character' trying to play the hero, getting others into trouble, and spending the whole book sulking and feeling sorry for herself. Oh, we're also supposed to have sympathy for her because she feels instant guilt for everything that is wrong in the world.
This style of characterization is just so incredibly tiresome and annoying to me. I just want to read books about girls with a healthy sense of self-preservation, and enough brain cells to realise they're not responsible for all the wrong in the world. Is that too much to ask?
December 22, 2023
5/ 5⭐
0/5 🌶️
Beautifully written. The Darkening by Sunya Mara is the first installment in a gripping new fantasy with experimental magic, a cursed storm, an undercover protagonist, a royal love interest and enemies to lovers to enemies. The storm/story was beautiful and painful, hurting and afraid, powerful and sorrowful. Can't wait to read the sequel and learn more about the fates of the characters!
I loved Dalca and Vesper’s relationship development but I don't know if I want them to be the end game.
Quotes:
“If nightmares had music, they'd sound like the Storm.”
“Blood isn't a leash, love. Your choice is yours.”
“Come back to me.”
0/5 🌶️
Beautifully written. The Darkening by Sunya Mara is the first installment in a gripping new fantasy with experimental magic, a cursed storm, an undercover protagonist, a royal love interest and enemies to lovers to enemies. The storm/story was beautiful and painful, hurting and afraid, powerful and sorrowful. Can't wait to read the sequel and learn more about the fates of the characters!
I loved Dalca and Vesper’s relationship development but I don't know if I want them to be the end game.
Quotes:
“If nightmares had music, they'd sound like the Storm.”
“Blood isn't a leash, love. Your choice is yours.”
“Come back to me.”
July 22, 2022
*cries in this had so much potential*
June 17, 2022
Guys... that book cover is absolutely gorgeous!
Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.
While this book was really entertaining and a good book for what I assume will be a series, it needed a bit more world building. I enjoyed the story and it made me think of some of my other YA favorite series. The characters were introduced well and came across as rich and full of life. If there will be a romance twist in the next book, it will need some work as the romance was very low in this first book. The writing was detailed and I could easily follow the descriptions of the rings and the magic around it. The narration was really good for this type of book.
Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for this ARC.
Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.
While this book was really entertaining and a good book for what I assume will be a series, it needed a bit more world building. I enjoyed the story and it made me think of some of my other YA favorite series. The characters were introduced well and came across as rich and full of life. If there will be a romance twist in the next book, it will need some work as the romance was very low in this first book. The writing was detailed and I could easily follow the descriptions of the rings and the magic around it. The narration was really good for this type of book.
Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for this ARC.
July 28, 2022
Okay, so let me get this straight... am I supposed to have understood the jumble of plots- intentions- twists- and more twisted branches of other topics, within the last 15 pages of this book?👀😭
April 3, 2024
Bardzo mój typ fantastyki.
Połączenie polityki, z motywem wybrańca, wojowników i cichej walce między społeczeństwem.
Dodatkowo jest tutaj zdawkowy wątek romantyczny, co jak może wiecie bardzo lubię w tym gatunku
Połączenie polityki, z motywem wybrańca, wojowników i cichej walce między społeczeństwem.
Dodatkowo jest tutaj zdawkowy wątek romantyczny, co jak może wiecie bardzo lubię w tym gatunku
July 17, 2024
This had so much potential I really wanted to like this one because the edition I have is beautiful but it disappointed me. The writing was average. The plot line was average. The concept was really interesting and when the magic system was first introduced I thought this could really be something special. In the end the execution of this book really let it down.
I'm not a huge romance fan anyway but I can appreciate it when it is done well especially in fantasy, but this oh no. I think the main reason the romance was awful was because the characters were all so bland and dull. There wasn't one character I felt connected to or liked. There was no chemistry between anyone - not even the love interest. I thought there would at least be a little chemistry between father/daughter but no, just awful.
The main things I look for in a book world-building, character growth, beautiful writing and interesting plot line were all missing for me. The only reason it gets two stars is because of the initial concept. I won't be carrying on with this series. Disappointing.
I'm not a huge romance fan anyway but I can appreciate it when it is done well especially in fantasy, but this oh no. I think the main reason the romance was awful was because the characters were all so bland and dull. There wasn't one character I felt connected to or liked. There was no chemistry between anyone - not even the love interest. I thought there would at least be a little chemistry between father/daughter but no, just awful.
The main things I look for in a book world-building, character growth, beautiful writing and interesting plot line were all missing for me. The only reason it gets two stars is because of the initial concept. I won't be carrying on with this series. Disappointing.
August 29, 2022
The Darkening has a really interesting and unique premise, but that’s about it. For me, it really failed to deliver in execution.
I thought it started out alright, although a bit slow. But the farther along I got, the more confusing it got. At some point after the halfway mark, I was just sitting there wondering what the actual fuck was happening. It felt like two different books, where the latter part was written under a time limit or something. I can feel that this book is a debut, because instead of enhancing the good parts and being selective with the storylines, everything got added and left this muddled mess. We still don’t know a thing of how the storm works. If you touch it, you get cursed (maybe? Or was it certain?). Everyone gets a different curse (maybe? Or could several people get the same?), but what determines how the curse will manifest?
The main goal of the main character, Vesper, is to save her father. Which I could not relate to at all, because I found her father to be completely insufferable. But not as insufferable as Vesper herself. She is the typical self sacrificing, ultra naive and impulsive YA main character. Which I loathe. Some examples of her actions, that made me want to bang my head against a wall:
”What were you thinking?”
I catch my breath. “We just saved two people, Pa”
“No, I saved three people. You nearly threw your life away.”
My cheeks heat. “It was the right thing to do.”
This is literally like five pages into the book and already here I knew I was going to have a problem with Vesper. This is also the event that sets up the entire book, so it could’ve been entirely avoided. And honestly, which 17-year old will sacrifice themselves for a random stranger? Which is never mentioned after the first chapter again.
Someone pushes past me, trying to get me to hurry into line, and I’m jostled into the crowd of food seekers. I shove and sidestep my way out - things aren’t so bad that I have to take charity. Someone else needs that stew more, I’m sure.
There’s nothing wrong with taking charity and Vesper is literally eating leafs or something at home. Those plants also just got crushed and they have nothing eatable at home. So just take the food? I had this exact problem with the main character is Margaret Rogerson’s book Vespertine. That chick just constantly passed out because she was so righteous. How hard can it be to be a bit selfish, to the degree that you actually take care of yourself?
And then Vesper gets home and discover that it’s on fire. What does she do?
I charge inside, covering my head, and the heat hits me like a slap.
Ah, of course. It’s mandatory for the naive, impulsive and self-sacrificing YA heroine to dive head-first into any burning building she encounters.
I kick at a piece of stone and yelp at the stabbing pain in my toe.
Was she excepting the stone to be soft when she kicked it?
But the stone doesn’t stop. It grows over Pa’s neck, over his mouth, over his eyes that stare down on me.
I stagger back from what was once my father and is now a coffin of rock. I shove Izamal aside and reach for the rock. I’ll tear Pa out with my hands.
I think Vesper has a complicated relationship with rocks and how they work. Is she too stupid to realize they are hard and can not be kicked and teared apart by manual force? What density does she think they possess? They are not made of fucking marshmallows. There’s a reason why the telling is “rock-hard”.
So yeah, this book was a real letdown.
I thought it started out alright, although a bit slow. But the farther along I got, the more confusing it got. At some point after the halfway mark, I was just sitting there wondering what the actual fuck was happening. It felt like two different books, where the latter part was written under a time limit or something. I can feel that this book is a debut, because instead of enhancing the good parts and being selective with the storylines, everything got added and left this muddled mess. We still don’t know a thing of how the storm works. If you touch it, you get cursed (maybe? Or was it certain?). Everyone gets a different curse (maybe? Or could several people get the same?), but what determines how the curse will manifest?
The main goal of the main character, Vesper, is to save her father. Which I could not relate to at all, because I found her father to be completely insufferable. But not as insufferable as Vesper herself. She is the typical self sacrificing, ultra naive and impulsive YA main character. Which I loathe. Some examples of her actions, that made me want to bang my head against a wall:
”What were you thinking?”
I catch my breath. “We just saved two people, Pa”
“No, I saved three people. You nearly threw your life away.”
My cheeks heat. “It was the right thing to do.”
This is literally like five pages into the book and already here I knew I was going to have a problem with Vesper. This is also the event that sets up the entire book, so it could’ve been entirely avoided. And honestly, which 17-year old will sacrifice themselves for a random stranger? Which is never mentioned after the first chapter again.
Someone pushes past me, trying to get me to hurry into line, and I’m jostled into the crowd of food seekers. I shove and sidestep my way out - things aren’t so bad that I have to take charity. Someone else needs that stew more, I’m sure.
There’s nothing wrong with taking charity and Vesper is literally eating leafs or something at home. Those plants also just got crushed and they have nothing eatable at home. So just take the food? I had this exact problem with the main character is Margaret Rogerson’s book Vespertine. That chick just constantly passed out because she was so righteous. How hard can it be to be a bit selfish, to the degree that you actually take care of yourself?
And then Vesper gets home and discover that it’s on fire. What does she do?
I charge inside, covering my head, and the heat hits me like a slap.
Ah, of course. It’s mandatory for the naive, impulsive and self-sacrificing YA heroine to dive head-first into any burning building she encounters.
I kick at a piece of stone and yelp at the stabbing pain in my toe.
Was she excepting the stone to be soft when she kicked it?
But the stone doesn’t stop. It grows over Pa’s neck, over his mouth, over his eyes that stare down on me.
I stagger back from what was once my father and is now a coffin of rock. I shove Izamal aside and reach for the rock. I’ll tear Pa out with my hands.
I think Vesper has a complicated relationship with rocks and how they work. Is she too stupid to realize they are hard and can not be kicked and teared apart by manual force? What density does she think they possess? They are not made of fucking marshmallows. There’s a reason why the telling is “rock-hard”.
So yeah, this book was a real letdown.
July 3, 2022
➵ I LOVED THIS ONE. urging everyone to read this if you like the idea of enemies to lovers to enemies OHMYGOD.
June 4, 2023
3.8 stars. i actually enjoyed the writing, especially the way a few specific scenes were written out. unfortunately, the characters and their plot-moving-no-sense decisions made my eye twitch at times. not a deal breaker, but it did move my rating down from a 4 to a 3 (ex: the way a character changed his unmoving opinion without any context in the end. i legitimately reread the chapter to see where and how such a strong opinion that based several actions could switch so quickly in case i wasn’t paying attention the first time. shockingly, i was paying attention!! the guy just totally changed his mind in under a page.) plot direction > characters’ actions making sense is a prioritization that should be criminalized.
HOWEVER, i did overall enjoy the read. once again, the way some scenes were written really boosted my overall opinion. and the characters weren’t so annoying that the read was unbearable. i truly would read another separate book from this author. (i will be adding the second book to my tbr, only to see if my plot prediction will be correct or not. this book reads like a standalone and i know i’ll regret reading book two, but i need to know if i’m right. a curse, really.)
HOWEVER, i did overall enjoy the read. once again, the way some scenes were written really boosted my overall opinion. and the characters weren’t so annoying that the read was unbearable. i truly would read another separate book from this author. (i will be adding the second book to my tbr, only to see if my plot prediction will be correct or not. this book reads like a standalone and i know i’ll regret reading book two, but i need to know if i’m right. a curse, really.)
May 23, 2023
I’m having the oddest time keeping track of what’s going on. I feel like there’s never any explanation for when one moment ends and another begins… and then no context to place us in our new surroundings. It’s very unsettling and keeps making me think I missed a paragraph and have to go back and re-read something.
Also not liking the naive main character, the bland side characters, the lackluster romance, the horrible world building and overall messy and unorganized feeling this book is giving off… so dnfing at 60%
Also not liking the naive main character, the bland side characters, the lackluster romance, the horrible world building and overall messy and unorganized feeling this book is giving off… so dnfing at 60%
May 19, 2022
Thank you Kate and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC of The Darkening 🥰
''If nightmares had music, they'd sound like the Storm.''
AAHHH you guys, this book was so good! It had everything I usually look for in a book; a perfect magical system, great worldbuilding, enemies to lovers romance, royal love interest, well written side characters and a likeable protagonist!
Sunya Mara has written an amazing debut book and I'm so excited for you all to read this book.
We follow Vesper, who lives in a sanctuary for people touched by the Storm. Her father and mother used to lead a rebellion against previous Regia, ruler of the city. They succeeded in killing the Regia, but her mother paid the price by going into the Storm. Her father is all Vesper has left. But when he's discovered and being hold prisoner by the Wardana, she makes it her mission to save him. All that she has left is her father's journal full of ikons, which are magical runes to work with magic. She poses as a third-year apprentice, trying to get closer to the son of the Regia, Prince Dalca, and discover where they're holding her father. Lines get blurry between them and their relationship slowly turns into something more. Nothing too heavy, it's perfect for a YA fantasy and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them. The dynamics with the other side characters, namely Iz en Cas were also very well written and I loved how their bond grew stronger throughout the book.
I would definitely say the character are all morally grey, which I personally like best. Good and evil blend together and there were times when I wasn't sure who's side to be on.
''Wreak your darkness upon this world. Become a god of wrath. Punish them for what they have done to us. You will become a creature of revenge. A darkening fury. You will see that your pain is reflected in the world, on every face that jeers down from the stands.
The pacing of the book was a tiny bit off sometimes, but I nevertheless flew through it. Can't wait to read the sequel and learn more about the fates of the characters! A solid 4 stars.
''If nightmares had music, they'd sound like the Storm.''
AAHHH you guys, this book was so good! It had everything I usually look for in a book; a perfect magical system, great worldbuilding, enemies to lovers romance, royal love interest, well written side characters and a likeable protagonist!
Sunya Mara has written an amazing debut book and I'm so excited for you all to read this book.
We follow Vesper, who lives in a sanctuary for people touched by the Storm. Her father and mother used to lead a rebellion against previous Regia, ruler of the city. They succeeded in killing the Regia, but her mother paid the price by going into the Storm. Her father is all Vesper has left. But when he's discovered and being hold prisoner by the Wardana, she makes it her mission to save him. All that she has left is her father's journal full of ikons, which are magical runes to work with magic. She poses as a third-year apprentice, trying to get closer to the son of the Regia, Prince Dalca, and discover where they're holding her father. Lines get blurry between them and their relationship slowly turns into something more. Nothing too heavy, it's perfect for a YA fantasy and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them. The dynamics with the other side characters, namely Iz en Cas were also very well written and I loved how their bond grew stronger throughout the book.
I would definitely say the character are all morally grey, which I personally like best. Good and evil blend together and there were times when I wasn't sure who's side to be on.
''Wreak your darkness upon this world. Become a god of wrath. Punish them for what they have done to us. You will become a creature of revenge. A darkening fury. You will see that your pain is reflected in the world, on every face that jeers down from the stands.
The pacing of the book was a tiny bit off sometimes, but I nevertheless flew through it. Can't wait to read the sequel and learn more about the fates of the characters! A solid 4 stars.
June 13, 2022
2.5 Stars
I was really excited for this book but sadly for me it was a big let down. The cover is absolutely gorgeous but unfortunately the content didn't live up to it.
The Darkening is about a city that is surrounded by a darkness called The Storm which is ever encroaching on the city. There are an elite guard of warriors that use a type of magic using drawings to beat back the storm. The general setting reminded me of Shadow and Bone but it definitely didn't have the worldbuilding to back it up. The first half was pretty interesting but not much happened. Then the second half had lots happening but it didn't really make sense. A lot of the story wasn't explained properly and I didn't think it was very cohesive. I did get a bit confused and because of that felt a real disconnect from the story and characters which is a shame as it all does have potential.
The characters were decent but I don't feel enough time was spent on their personalities to feel a real connection. Vesper the lead female was interesting and I liked her bravery and strength. However she made some decisions that really irritated me. The Prince Dalca was a bit of a confusing character as some of his decisions just didn't make sense. I really like the 2 side characters called Casvian and Izamal, they were interesting and Izamal definitely brought a little much needed humour. Overall they were decent characters but I didn't feel especially connected to them and especially in the final 10% of the book the decisions made just made zero sense. I also wasn't a fan of the romance which is unusual for me.
The writing was decent and the story flowed but the lack of detail and worldbuilding meant that I was too confused for such a simple storyline.
Overall this was a big let down for me and sadly I won't be continuing this series or recommending it to others as there are so many better YA fantasy books out there.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited for this book but sadly for me it was a big let down. The cover is absolutely gorgeous but unfortunately the content didn't live up to it.
The Darkening is about a city that is surrounded by a darkness called The Storm which is ever encroaching on the city. There are an elite guard of warriors that use a type of magic using drawings to beat back the storm. The general setting reminded me of Shadow and Bone but it definitely didn't have the worldbuilding to back it up. The first half was pretty interesting but not much happened. Then the second half had lots happening but it didn't really make sense. A lot of the story wasn't explained properly and I didn't think it was very cohesive. I did get a bit confused and because of that felt a real disconnect from the story and characters which is a shame as it all does have potential.
The characters were decent but I don't feel enough time was spent on their personalities to feel a real connection. Vesper the lead female was interesting and I liked her bravery and strength. However she made some decisions that really irritated me. The Prince Dalca was a bit of a confusing character as some of his decisions just didn't make sense. I really like the 2 side characters called Casvian and Izamal, they were interesting and Izamal definitely brought a little much needed humour. Overall they were decent characters but I didn't feel especially connected to them and especially in the final 10% of the book the decisions made just made zero sense. I also wasn't a fan of the romance which is unusual for me.
The writing was decent and the story flowed but the lack of detail and worldbuilding meant that I was too confused for such a simple storyline.
Overall this was a big let down for me and sadly I won't be continuing this series or recommending it to others as there are so many better YA fantasy books out there.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2022
I have no idea how to describe this book, but I will try.
it is beautiful and painful, hurting and afraid, powerful and sorrowful.
the city and the storm that surrounds it are both beautiful and painful, everyone ripped apart by what they can and cannot achieve, by who and what they have lost.
the characters are hurting and afraid, all soaked in bittersweet tears. They fight against themselves and each other, and yet they find a family in each other. The main boy and girl go from deadly enemies to reluctant friends to maybe lovers and back to deadly enemies again.
the power of the god of the sun and the goddess of the night balances each other perfectly, yet they fight against each other in a centuries-old war, filled with the sorrow of their past and of their present.
I love this book so much, but that ending really got me emotional so I'll keep this brief 😂
y'all should check the shelves I listed for the tropes, get your hands on this book as soon as possible, and then come back here so we can wait in fevered anticipation for the sequel 😍💕
Ratings:
Star Rating: ★★★★★
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: PG-13
Recommendations If You Liked This Book:
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
it is beautiful and painful, hurting and afraid, powerful and sorrowful.
the city and the storm that surrounds it are both beautiful and painful, everyone ripped apart by what they can and cannot achieve, by who and what they have lost.
the characters are hurting and afraid, all soaked in bittersweet tears. They fight against themselves and each other, and yet they find a family in each other. The main boy and girl go from deadly enemies to reluctant friends to maybe lovers and back to deadly enemies again.
the power of the god of the sun and the goddess of the night balances each other perfectly, yet they fight against each other in a centuries-old war, filled with the sorrow of their past and of their present.
I love this book so much, but that ending really got me emotional so I'll keep this brief 😂
y'all should check the shelves I listed for the tropes, get your hands on this book as soon as possible, and then come back here so we can wait in fevered anticipation for the sequel 😍💕
Ratings:
Star Rating: ★★★★★
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: PG-13
Recommendations If You Liked This Book:
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
July 1, 2022
4.5 stars
The Darkening is a deliciously gripping, dark YA fantasy I couldn’t get enough of!
It’s an action packed feast for the senses with a richly woven world full of magic curses ,political intrigue and morally grey characters which I found rather endearing.
It’s set in a sweepingly atmospheric world where a cursed, storm wracked city’s only hope lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a Prince who fears the very throne he’ll inherit.
Prince Dalca was born for one Purpose: to protect his home from the deadly storm that surrounds his city and curses everyone it touches. Vesper Vale is the daughter of failed revolutionaries. Since the Queen sentenced her mother to death by the storm, she and her father have been on the run.
So when the queen’s soldiers—led by Prince Dalca—catch up to them, Vesper will do whatever it takes to protect her father from sharing her mother’s fate. Even if it means arming herself with her father’s book of experimental magic, infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers or cheat her way into his cold heart.
But Vesper’s learnt there’s more to her mother’s death than she’s realises. With her home and all she love in peril she only has two choices: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the storm…
I really enjoyed this and found myself completely immersed in Sunya Mara’s lush prose and atmospheric story telling.
I absolutely loved our fearless and persistent protagonist Vesper and her being the daughter of two failed revolutionaries, on the run was such an intriguing premise that we don’t encounter often and I really enjoyed exploring the aftermath and consequences of their failed plot. Vesper’s entire life is shaped by her parents actions and it’s interesting to see just how much life on the run/ being the daughter of a wanted man has affected her.
Her attempts—to save her father and the city do kwepnbackfiring on her, but I found her determination and resiliency in those instances super relatable. Trust me, Vesper’s a very easy character to root for.
I loved the supporting cast as well, especially Iz who definitely has a rogueish charm. surprisingly I also really liked Casvian to I initially disliked but he grew on me in the second half of the book. I did also like Prince Dalca and the slow burn, enemies to lovers romance that blossoms between him and Vesper was really well done. Though, I have to admit, I was sorta rooting for Vesper and Iz.
The ending was unbelievably action packed, I’m talking plans out of the window/ everything goes wrong and I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of it!
The fact that this is a debut is amazing given how well each plot and subplot is seamlessly woven together—I cannot wait to see where Mara takes us with the sequel because that (cliffhanger) ending was soo good!
Also, thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the e-arc.
The Darkening is a deliciously gripping, dark YA fantasy I couldn’t get enough of!
It’s an action packed feast for the senses with a richly woven world full of magic curses ,political intrigue and morally grey characters which I found rather endearing.
It’s set in a sweepingly atmospheric world where a cursed, storm wracked city’s only hope lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a Prince who fears the very throne he’ll inherit.
Prince Dalca was born for one Purpose: to protect his home from the deadly storm that surrounds his city and curses everyone it touches. Vesper Vale is the daughter of failed revolutionaries. Since the Queen sentenced her mother to death by the storm, she and her father have been on the run.
So when the queen’s soldiers—led by Prince Dalca—catch up to them, Vesper will do whatever it takes to protect her father from sharing her mother’s fate. Even if it means arming herself with her father’s book of experimental magic, infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers or cheat her way into his cold heart.
But Vesper’s learnt there’s more to her mother’s death than she’s realises. With her home and all she love in peril she only has two choices: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the storm…
I really enjoyed this and found myself completely immersed in Sunya Mara’s lush prose and atmospheric story telling.
I absolutely loved our fearless and persistent protagonist Vesper and her being the daughter of two failed revolutionaries, on the run was such an intriguing premise that we don’t encounter often and I really enjoyed exploring the aftermath and consequences of their failed plot. Vesper’s entire life is shaped by her parents actions and it’s interesting to see just how much life on the run/ being the daughter of a wanted man has affected her.
Her attempts—to save her father and the city do kwepnbackfiring on her, but I found her determination and resiliency in those instances super relatable. Trust me, Vesper’s a very easy character to root for.
I loved the supporting cast as well, especially Iz who definitely has a rogueish charm. surprisingly I also really liked Casvian to I initially disliked but he grew on me in the second half of the book. I did also like Prince Dalca and the slow burn, enemies to lovers romance that blossoms between him and Vesper was really well done. Though, I have to admit, I was sorta rooting for Vesper and Iz.
The ending was unbelievably action packed, I’m talking plans out of the window/ everything goes wrong and I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of it!
The fact that this is a debut is amazing given how well each plot and subplot is seamlessly woven together—I cannot wait to see where Mara takes us with the sequel because that (cliffhanger) ending was soo good!
Also, thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the e-arc.
December 13, 2024
This was definitely one of the better YA Fantasy novels out there for me. One with a deliciously mysterious and enticing backdrop that lured me in in the first three chapters. The middle part worried me as it started progressively giving off more and more romantasy vibes, and what I hate more than anything is when the main plot and conflict of a story takes a back seat so a droll and unimportant romance subplot can shine.
But just when I thought it was done for, it somehow veered right in the opposite direction and left me dazed, surprised, confused? I think that confusion is ultimately why this book wasn't more than a three-star read for me, and it permeated through more than just the "romance" aspect of the story.
1) World vs Character
The world/setting was by far one of the stronger points of this story for a reader like me, who's a sucker for all things mysterious, dark, and out of the ordinary. The Darkening takes place in a world surrounded by literal darkness, out of which a storm frequently surges and threatens to expand, enveloping the rest of humanity in its void.
The Wardana are tasked with the great responsibility of keeping the storm at bay; pushing it back whenever it rises. But the outer rings of their kingdom are slowly being taken over. Everyone who is even remotely touched by the storm return cursed ... those who venture inside it have never returned. The royal blood, once powerful enough to contain it, have for some reason been weakening over the past generations, and soon they fear will succumb entirely.
It's not only the concept of the world that's dark and full of intrigue, the author also does a stellar job of actually conveying how isolating it is; how desolate and actually depressing living in such a place would be.
Where did the storm come from? What lies beyond it? Are there other kingdoms out there, just like theirs, struggling to keep it at bay? These are all questions that will eventually be addressed in the story, which I was deeply thankful for. Many books/readers like to keep some things a mystery. I am not one of those readers. Not when it concerns such pragmatic and fundamental questions such as these.
And maybe because it takes so much time to develop and expand such an intriguing setting such as this, the characters suffer for it.
That's not to say that the main protagonists have no personality or motivation or even anything remotely interesting about them--in fact, they are (again) definitely one of the better YA Fantasy protagonists out there.
I just found it difficult to really pinpoint them as individuals, as at some moments they seem to merge into one personality, and other moments they even flip-flop and change moods/decisions at the snap of a finger.
Vesper's flip-flopping between staying loyal to her father-vs-helping Dalca/the kingdom; Cas's sudden personality flip when he's suddenly kind and decides he likes Vesper after all; Dalca's switcheroo towards the climax, where he goes from sociopath to--within a couple paragraphs--suddenly full of regret ... etc. etc. ... I just can't get a grasp of their thinking processes. Regardless of their trauma or grief or whatever circumstances, it would still have been much stronger and more convincing if such changes had come progressively and consistently, rather than the constant hot-and-cold switches every one of our main characters exhibit.
I mean, even the "romance" left me confused. It is literally enemies-to lovers-to enemies.... to lovers again? Like, pick a side already! T_T
2) Main Conflict
What I appreciate about stories such as this is that the main antagonist of the story isn't immediately and obviously clear. One might think it is the upper class--the ruler of the kingdom, who doesn't (seem to) care about their lower-ring citizens. One might think it is the vengeful advisers who have their ear. One might think it is the storm itself.
The issue is that for a majority of the book, our main focus lies in rescuing Vesper's father, Alcanar, who has been captured by the Wardana, and therefore most of our plot progression revolves around Vesper trying to figure out where they have kept him, and how to release him from it.
Veeeeery little is spent on addressing the other (and more important) conflicts, and when we do eventually get around to taking care of the Storm (and the gods behind it), it all culminates AND ends rather ... lacklustrely. I begin to understand why we had to have the rescuing-Alcanar arc, because without it, the book would have been much more tepid.
The whole issue revolving Alcanar is also another thing entirely. A case where his background story is doing all the heavy lifting. The failed revolutionary who reached too far that he could handle. To a degree, I understand his reluctance in having people repeat the same mistakes he did, but at some point the whole conflict only hinges upon his stubbornness, and for what? FOR WHAT, ALCANAR???
That really is it, though. I don't have any major disappointments about this book. The last quarter, I want to say--where we are just progressing towards the final climax--was a bit of a fever dream for me, and that was another star deducation as I was NOT prepared for it.
Everything else in the book had been grounded; even the development of magic/ikonomancy had a founding in reason and concrete explanations ... and then it suddenly turned into a trip down into Alice's Wonderland and I just wasn't high enough for that, bro.
But just when I thought it was done for, it somehow veered right in the opposite direction and left me dazed, surprised, confused? I think that confusion is ultimately why this book wasn't more than a three-star read for me, and it permeated through more than just the "romance" aspect of the story.
1) World vs Character
The world/setting was by far one of the stronger points of this story for a reader like me, who's a sucker for all things mysterious, dark, and out of the ordinary. The Darkening takes place in a world surrounded by literal darkness, out of which a storm frequently surges and threatens to expand, enveloping the rest of humanity in its void.
The Wardana are tasked with the great responsibility of keeping the storm at bay; pushing it back whenever it rises. But the outer rings of their kingdom are slowly being taken over. Everyone who is even remotely touched by the storm return cursed ... those who venture inside it have never returned. The royal blood, once powerful enough to contain it, have for some reason been weakening over the past generations, and soon they fear will succumb entirely.
It's not only the concept of the world that's dark and full of intrigue, the author also does a stellar job of actually conveying how isolating it is; how desolate and actually depressing living in such a place would be.
Where did the storm come from? What lies beyond it? Are there other kingdoms out there, just like theirs, struggling to keep it at bay? These are all questions that will eventually be addressed in the story, which I was deeply thankful for. Many books/readers like to keep some things a mystery. I am not one of those readers. Not when it concerns such pragmatic and fundamental questions such as these.
And maybe because it takes so much time to develop and expand such an intriguing setting such as this, the characters suffer for it.
That's not to say that the main protagonists have no personality or motivation or even anything remotely interesting about them--in fact, they are (again) definitely one of the better YA Fantasy protagonists out there.
I just found it difficult to really pinpoint them as individuals, as at some moments they seem to merge into one personality, and other moments they even flip-flop and change moods/decisions at the snap of a finger.
Vesper's flip-flopping between staying loyal to her father-vs-helping Dalca/the kingdom; Cas's sudden personality flip when he's suddenly kind and decides he likes Vesper after all; Dalca's switcheroo towards the climax, where he goes from sociopath to--within a couple paragraphs--suddenly full of regret ... etc. etc. ... I just can't get a grasp of their thinking processes. Regardless of their trauma or grief or whatever circumstances, it would still have been much stronger and more convincing if such changes had come progressively and consistently, rather than the constant hot-and-cold switches every one of our main characters exhibit.
I mean, even the "romance" left me confused. It is literally enemies-to lovers-to enemies.... to lovers again? Like, pick a side already! T_T
2) Main Conflict
What I appreciate about stories such as this is that the main antagonist of the story isn't immediately and obviously clear. One might think it is the upper class--the ruler of the kingdom, who doesn't (seem to) care about their lower-ring citizens. One might think it is the vengeful advisers who have their ear. One might think it is the storm itself.
The issue is that for a majority of the book, our main focus lies in rescuing Vesper's father, Alcanar, who has been captured by the Wardana, and therefore most of our plot progression revolves around Vesper trying to figure out where they have kept him, and how to release him from it.
Veeeeery little is spent on addressing the other (and more important) conflicts, and when we do eventually get around to taking care of the Storm (and the gods behind it), it all culminates AND ends rather ... lacklustrely. I begin to understand why we had to have the rescuing-Alcanar arc, because without it, the book would have been much more tepid.
The whole issue revolving Alcanar is also another thing entirely. A case where his background story is doing all the heavy lifting. The failed revolutionary who reached too far that he could handle. To a degree, I understand his reluctance in having people repeat the same mistakes he did, but at some point the whole conflict only hinges upon his stubbornness, and for what? FOR WHAT, ALCANAR???
That really is it, though. I don't have any major disappointments about this book. The last quarter, I want to say--where we are just progressing towards the final climax--was a bit of a fever dream for me, and that was another star deducation as I was NOT prepared for it.
Everything else in the book had been grounded; even the development of magic/ikonomancy had a founding in reason and concrete explanations ... and then it suddenly turned into a trip down into Alice's Wonderland and I just wasn't high enough for that, bro.
March 29, 2025
2.5⭐️
I had really high hopes for this book, the beginning had me CAPTURED. Then it got really boring and feel like the “twists” were confusing??
Idk maybe it’s also a me problem.
But I will say her writing is beautiful just the story line wasn’t there for me.
I had really high hopes for this book, the beginning had me CAPTURED. Then it got really boring and feel like the “twists” were confusing??
Idk maybe it’s also a me problem.
But I will say her writing is beautiful just the story line wasn’t there for me.
May 14, 2022
This book is absolutely BRILLIANT. It’s gripping from start to finish with it’s beautifully captivating plot and even more wonderful characters (looking at you Vesper and Dalca). This book filled a hole in my heart that I didn’t even know I had… the writing is amazing, the pacing was PERFECT. Solid 5 star read with plenty of twists to keep you guessing what was going to happen. I can’t wait for book 2 (and any other books from this author).
Magic? Plentiful and different.
Romance? Cute YA levels.
Plot? Loved it.
Character development? There in abundance.
Stunning eyed male? Here for it.
Action packed? You betcha!
Should you pre-order it? YES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE PREORDER THIS.
Thank you so much to Kate at Hodder for sending me a proof in exchange for my review. Can I re-read this already?
Magic? Plentiful and different.
Romance? Cute YA levels.
Plot? Loved it.
Character development? There in abundance.
Stunning eyed male? Here for it.
Action packed? You betcha!
Should you pre-order it? YES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE PREORDER THIS.
Thank you so much to Kate at Hodder for sending me a proof in exchange for my review. Can I re-read this already?
February 19, 2023
We dive right in rather quickly, but then from there, it's a slow and steady sort of build.
But the more it went on the more I was suspicious of the "nice guys"
When the betrayal/twist happened I was like yes of course. Hello, darkness my old friend.
But then the last few scenes 😅 like what was that?
The romance was pretty understated and overall not particularly developed, but it was there. I didn't love this one, however, the ending has me intrigued enough to read the next book. We'll see how it goes.
But the more it went on the more I was suspicious of the "nice guys"
When the betrayal/twist happened I was like yes of course. Hello, darkness my old friend.
But then the last few scenes 😅 like what was that?
The romance was pretty understated and overall not particularly developed, but it was there. I didn't love this one, however, the ending has me intrigued enough to read the next book. We'll see how it goes.
January 16, 2023
cover reveal: already excited about this but then i saw a cover so beautiful i started crying????
review: The Darkening is an incendiary, action-packed high fantasy with a uniquely claustrophobic setting: at the heart of a centuries-long storm that extends for miles is a starved city carved up by inequality and turmoil––and every now and then, the storm clouds inch ever closer to devouring it whole. At the novel's heart is Vesper Vale, whose parents tried to unseat the corrupt ruling family in a rebellion...and failed. When her chance to do the same arrives after she loses everything, she wrestles with the ethics and even the efficacy of resistance, and discovers along the way that there's more to the deadly storm than meets the eye...
This is a thrilling premise. The book stages it in a fascinating setting. There's some well thought out effort on author Sunya Mara's part to wrestle with the personal cost of fighting at extremes for change. So what went wrong?
Three big things, I think, plague this book's execution: the most glaring, especially as we approach the climax, is the overwrought way the book describes magic. Pages and pages, most of them concerning the storm, its curses, and its history, are spent in visions and manifestations of the magic in battle. It's at such a length and described at such scale that it's totally divorced from the action at hand––you'll leave these scenes disoriented, unable to remember where the book was going before it exploded into fantasy so figurative, it's more-or-less drowned its on-the-page reality.
The visions and magic, however, speak to a larger problem in how The Darkening deals with its characters. Basically: it over-explains and over-works their substance, chewing them in effect to oblivion. We hear and are shown so many times that the prince of the piece, Dalca, is afraid of taking the helm of Regia, has never grown past the feeling of being a scared child, can't bring himself to let go of his mother, etc, that these statements feel less like organic outgrowths of his character and more like they've been fed to us. Perhaps the greatest misstep this book makes lies in how unsubtle it is with its characters. The thrill of discovering them for ourselves is stripped from all but a few precious moments.
Finally, I desperately wanted to see more from The Darkening's understanding of its political system. There are haves and have-nots; it is agreed that this is bad. The storm is vaguely understood to feed off of discontent, but it's shunted away into a mythic past with poorly-rendered legendary characters. With no countryside or trading partners to speak of, highly-trained mancers use the city's magic system to render goods, which are then distributed to the populace, but there are no physical limits on this magic or the user, no reason for it to be so tightly-regulated, and no logical mechanism in place for enforcing its restricted use. Political critique in fantasy can be bracing, but I think you have to be specific about what you're criticizing, and it's to this book's distinct peril that it isn't.
review: The Darkening is an incendiary, action-packed high fantasy with a uniquely claustrophobic setting: at the heart of a centuries-long storm that extends for miles is a starved city carved up by inequality and turmoil––and every now and then, the storm clouds inch ever closer to devouring it whole. At the novel's heart is Vesper Vale, whose parents tried to unseat the corrupt ruling family in a rebellion...and failed. When her chance to do the same arrives after she loses everything, she wrestles with the ethics and even the efficacy of resistance, and discovers along the way that there's more to the deadly storm than meets the eye...
This is a thrilling premise. The book stages it in a fascinating setting. There's some well thought out effort on author Sunya Mara's part to wrestle with the personal cost of fighting at extremes for change. So what went wrong?
Three big things, I think, plague this book's execution: the most glaring, especially as we approach the climax, is the overwrought way the book describes magic. Pages and pages, most of them concerning the storm, its curses, and its history, are spent in visions and manifestations of the magic in battle. It's at such a length and described at such scale that it's totally divorced from the action at hand––you'll leave these scenes disoriented, unable to remember where the book was going before it exploded into fantasy so figurative, it's more-or-less drowned its on-the-page reality.
The visions and magic, however, speak to a larger problem in how The Darkening deals with its characters. Basically: it over-explains and over-works their substance, chewing them in effect to oblivion. We hear and are shown so many times that the prince of the piece, Dalca, is afraid of taking the helm of Regia, has never grown past the feeling of being a scared child, can't bring himself to let go of his mother, etc, that these statements feel less like organic outgrowths of his character and more like they've been fed to us. Perhaps the greatest misstep this book makes lies in how unsubtle it is with its characters. The thrill of discovering them for ourselves is stripped from all but a few precious moments.
Finally, I desperately wanted to see more from The Darkening's understanding of its political system. There are haves and have-nots; it is agreed that this is bad. The storm is vaguely understood to feed off of discontent, but it's shunted away into a mythic past with poorly-rendered legendary characters. With no countryside or trading partners to speak of, highly-trained mancers use the city's magic system to render goods, which are then distributed to the populace, but there are no physical limits on this magic or the user, no reason for it to be so tightly-regulated, and no logical mechanism in place for enforcing its restricted use. Political critique in fantasy can be bracing, but I think you have to be specific about what you're criticizing, and it's to this book's distinct peril that it isn't.
September 1, 2022
1/5 stars
I don't think I've cared less about something since... I don't know. This book didn't make me irate the way some others did, but it was just so boring.
The story is about Vesper Vale, the daughter of failed revolutionaries that slowly comes to realize that she could play a role to succeed where her parents failed. To do so, she has to worm her way into the inner circle of the royals.
Vesper is incredibly reckless. She doesn't think things through, she flings herself headlong into danger, the whole typical YA hero thing. She's also super contradictory in her thoughts and actions.
Alcanar, the said Pa, is PATHETIC. I literally couldn't care less about this character.
During one of the most "intense" parts of the book, so many things were told to me. I didn't get to discover anything alongside the characters, so I didn't care.
There's also some "enemies to lovers to enemies." The romance is... bad. It's rushed, forced, and Vesper had more chemistry with literally every other character.
So yeah. I don't know. Meh.
I don't think I've cared less about something since... I don't know. This book didn't make me irate the way some others did, but it was just so boring.
The story is about Vesper Vale, the daughter of failed revolutionaries that slowly comes to realize that she could play a role to succeed where her parents failed. To do so, she has to worm her way into the inner circle of the royals.
Vesper is incredibly reckless. She doesn't think things through, she flings herself headlong into danger, the whole typical YA hero thing. She's also super contradictory in her thoughts and actions.
Alcanar, the said Pa, is PATHETIC. I literally couldn't care less about this character.
During one of the most "intense" parts of the book, so many things were told to me. I didn't get to discover anything alongside the characters, so I didn't care.
There's also some "enemies to lovers to enemies." The romance is... bad. It's rushed, forced, and Vesper had more chemistry with literally every other character.
So yeah. I don't know. Meh.
August 23, 2022
I think... I'm burnt out on YA LOL.
Vesper and her father are on the run after Vesper's mom died as a revolutionary years ago. But after an attack from a beast from the Storm (a entity that encloses their city and anyone who enters it is cursed) goes awry, prompting her father to be captured by royal magical forces, Vesper has no choice but to join the Wardanas, the group that captured her father. She's forced into close comfort with her enemy, the Prince Dalca... maybe even a little too close... as she tries to find a way to free her father.
First off, onto the main point, I think I've read too much YA and everything starts to sound the same. Especially with poor worldbuilding, because in 200 pages, if I couldn't describe what the Storm or the monsters that come out of it or what exactly happens to stormcursed beings or anything, really, then what is the point of reading on? Everything I read when in one ear and out the next.
I got Red Rising, Attack on Titan + stereotypical heroine with only one parent who ends up thrusted into the spotlight to save the world vibes type of YA. Idk I'm tired.
Like I'm cool with reading tropey books but if there's nothing at least different about them... I'm a little bored.
This also started to really go downhill in the 150 - 200 range, when we read about anything Dalca and Vesper related. WHAT CHEMISTRY MY READERS? DOES CHEMISTRY EXIST? IT DOES NOT.
Then the fight scene with the monster-thing beast happens and I half-tune that out. The writing lacks substance! Things are happening, but I don't know what is happening. This is the opposite of how I feel about info-dumping. I need some info thrown at me. I feel like I'm out at sea without any supplies here.
Anyway, I'm going to save myself some time and dnf because in this household, we read meaningfully and life is short, so read the books you love.
Vesper and her father are on the run after Vesper's mom died as a revolutionary years ago. But after an attack from a beast from the Storm (a entity that encloses their city and anyone who enters it is cursed) goes awry, prompting her father to be captured by royal magical forces, Vesper has no choice but to join the Wardanas, the group that captured her father. She's forced into close comfort with her enemy, the Prince Dalca... maybe even a little too close... as she tries to find a way to free her father.
First off, onto the main point, I think I've read too much YA and everything starts to sound the same. Especially with poor worldbuilding, because in 200 pages, if I couldn't describe what the Storm or the monsters that come out of it or what exactly happens to stormcursed beings or anything, really, then what is the point of reading on? Everything I read when in one ear and out the next.
I got Red Rising, Attack on Titan + stereotypical heroine with only one parent who ends up thrusted into the spotlight to save the world vibes type of YA. Idk I'm tired.
Like I'm cool with reading tropey books but if there's nothing at least different about them... I'm a little bored.
This also started to really go downhill in the 150 - 200 range, when we read about anything Dalca and Vesper related. WHAT CHEMISTRY MY READERS? DOES CHEMISTRY EXIST? IT DOES NOT.
Then the fight scene with the monster-thing beast happens and I half-tune that out. The writing lacks substance! Things are happening, but I don't know what is happening. This is the opposite of how I feel about info-dumping. I need some info thrown at me. I feel like I'm out at sea without any supplies here.
Anyway, I'm going to save myself some time and dnf because in this household, we read meaningfully and life is short, so read the books you love.
September 27, 2022
“If nightmares had music, they'd sound like the Storm.”
This was such a surprise, a compelling fantasy with darker tones than I imagined, and I must admit I was actually spooked at some parts! Different than many YA fantasy published these days, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I'd love to read more from the author. Thanks, Fairyloot! :)
This was such a surprise, a compelling fantasy with darker tones than I imagined, and I must admit I was actually spooked at some parts! Different than many YA fantasy published these days, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I'd love to read more from the author. Thanks, Fairyloot! :)
November 12, 2022
Dalca can choke, freaking hate that guy
I haven't read a solid fantasy in a while, so this was oddly refreshing, and I found the world really fascinating. There was a big sequence that I thought was the climax, but then there was another climax at the end, so that threw me for a bit of a loop, but I got on board after a bit.
I liked the characters (except for Dalca, he can literally die and I would cheer). I'm a big fan of Izamal. There were times when the characters flip-flopped a few too many times (mostly Dalca) but they were still fairly believable.
Unfortunately, because of the slightly opaque writing style, I couldn't always tell what was figurative and what was literal, so I was frequently confused. I wouldn't exactly say the writing was flowery or purple prose, but it was definitely leaning toward that. I feel like it is mostly debut author syndrome, so I feel like Mara will gain more skills and improve in future books.
I'm excited to see where the series goes, especially with the ending of this one!
I haven't read a solid fantasy in a while, so this was oddly refreshing, and I found the world really fascinating. There was a big sequence that I thought was the climax, but then there was another climax at the end, so that threw me for a bit of a loop, but I got on board after a bit.
I liked the characters (except for Dalca, he can literally die and I would cheer). I'm a big fan of Izamal. There were times when the characters flip-flopped a few too many times (mostly Dalca) but they were still fairly believable.
Unfortunately, because of the slightly opaque writing style, I couldn't always tell what was figurative and what was literal, so I was frequently confused. I wouldn't exactly say the writing was flowery or purple prose, but it was definitely leaning toward that. I feel like it is mostly debut author syndrome, so I feel like Mara will gain more skills and improve in future books.
I'm excited to see where the series goes, especially with the ending of this one!
August 5, 2023
This is definitely one for the enemies to lovers girlies… which sadly I am not, but I did enjoy it regardless! The writing was easy to read and flowed nicely, and the characters felt fairly developed although they definitely had room to grow, and I hope that we’ll get to see that in the sequel. My biggest issue was the worldbuilding - I found the whole concept of The Storm to be quite confusing and not very well explained. If you touch the Storm you might get cursed - or you definitely will? Unclear. This curse might manifest in a million different ways - or only a few? Also unclear. It just needed some serious development on the worldbuilding, and not in the confusing way that started to appear in the latter half of the book. I will continue with the series because I’m intrigued after that ending, but I don’t think this was developed to the best that it could’ve been, and that's such a shame because I think it has great potential!
Read
October 3, 2022DNF - This book really wanted you to fill in the gaps to make up for its lack of worldbuilding. No thank you, that doesn't fly with fantasy books and now I'm slightly annoyed tbh
February 22, 2025
3.5/5
Zaskakująco dobrze się bawiłam bo po paru negatywnych recenzjach byłam dość sceptycznie nastawiona. Finalnie podobało mi się i sięgnę po drugi tom ale nie było to za bardzo odkrywcza fantastyka. Pierwsza połowa zdecydowanie bardziej mnie pochłonęła a im bliżej końca tym bardziej wkradał się chaos, szczególnie w relacji między głównymi bohaterami. Odnoszę wrażenie że autorka chciała wcisnąć każdy typ relacji w 350 stron - enemies to ukryta tożsamość to friends to lovers to enemies to NIE MAM POJĘCIA JAK TO NAZWAĆ.
Ps. Jeśli ta para męskich bohaterów nie będzie ze sobą w drugim tomie to chyba wyjdę z siebie i stanę obok.
Zaskakująco dobrze się bawiłam bo po paru negatywnych recenzjach byłam dość sceptycznie nastawiona. Finalnie podobało mi się i sięgnę po drugi tom ale nie było to za bardzo odkrywcza fantastyka. Pierwsza połowa zdecydowanie bardziej mnie pochłonęła a im bliżej końca tym bardziej wkradał się chaos, szczególnie w relacji między głównymi bohaterami. Odnoszę wrażenie że autorka chciała wcisnąć każdy typ relacji w 350 stron - enemies to ukryta tożsamość to friends to lovers to enemies to NIE MAM POJĘCIA JAK TO NAZWAĆ.
Ps. Jeśli ta para męskich bohaterów nie będzie ze sobą w drugim tomie to chyba wyjdę z siebie i stanę obok.
Read
September 20, 2022I really like the worldbuilding and scale of this one.
October 30, 2024
That's definitely the kind of story I needed : full of monsters, love and an impossible quest to save a kingdom... what else could I possibly need? The story is well written (even if at some points I found it not so smooth but overall it was really coherent), the subject really original and... well... as usual, the characters are very important and I loved how they were described... especially their emotions and psychological struggles! I'm definitely gonna read book 2 now!
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