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The Book of All Things #2
The Sylvan and the Sand
Marry your enemy. Dare to survive.
From the USA Today Bestselling Author of Kingdom of the White Sea comes a new series of standalone fantasy romance tales set in the same vibrant world: The Book of All Things. Disappear into this scintillating tale of mortal enemies forced into a perilous, passionate marriage.
Yesenia Warwick artfully dodges her father’s talks of marriage, set on proving she is just as capable as her brothers. Her three loves—kin, homeland, and independence—are all she needs.
Corin Quinlanden suffers under the cruel contempt of his ruthless father and brother as they scheme and plot from their castle in the trees. He’s given up wishing for happiness. A strategic marriage, far from home, is as high as he dare dream.
But the king of this realm has his own plan.
Everything the gilded Quinlandens have “earned” was stolen from the Warwicks. So when all the leaders of the realm are summoned to a celebration with the king, both houses approach this fete balancing on a sharp blade’s edge.
But the king’s celebration quickly turns to horror. The lords and ladies can only watch, helpless, as the devious king masterminds a series of marriages between their children, spinning the kingdom into chaos.
Brash, fearless Yesenia Warwick is now the unwilling bride of tender-hearted Corin Quinlanden. Neither her silver-tongued wit, nor her unmatched skill with daggers, can erase what has been done.
The choice ahead of her is simple, but impossible.
Embrace her dangerous new life in the den of her enemy, or send the kingdom to war.
From the USA Today Bestselling Author of Kingdom of the White Sea comes a new series of standalone fantasy romance tales set in the same vibrant world: The Book of All Things. Disappear into this scintillating tale of mortal enemies forced into a perilous, passionate marriage.
Yesenia Warwick artfully dodges her father’s talks of marriage, set on proving she is just as capable as her brothers. Her three loves—kin, homeland, and independence—are all she needs.
Corin Quinlanden suffers under the cruel contempt of his ruthless father and brother as they scheme and plot from their castle in the trees. He’s given up wishing for happiness. A strategic marriage, far from home, is as high as he dare dream.
But the king of this realm has his own plan.
Everything the gilded Quinlandens have “earned” was stolen from the Warwicks. So when all the leaders of the realm are summoned to a celebration with the king, both houses approach this fete balancing on a sharp blade’s edge.
But the king’s celebration quickly turns to horror. The lords and ladies can only watch, helpless, as the devious king masterminds a series of marriages between their children, spinning the kingdom into chaos.
Brash, fearless Yesenia Warwick is now the unwilling bride of tender-hearted Corin Quinlanden. Neither her silver-tongued wit, nor her unmatched skill with daggers, can erase what has been done.
The choice ahead of her is simple, but impossible.
Embrace her dangerous new life in the den of her enemy, or send the kingdom to war.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2022
64 people are currently reading
2005 people want to read
About the author
Sarah M. Cradit
99 books899 followersSarah is the USA Today and International Bestselling Author of over forty contemporary and epic fantasy stories, and the creator of the Kingdom of the White Sea and Saga of Crimson & Clover universes.
Born a geek, Sarah spends her time crafting rich and multilayered worlds, obsessing over history, playing her retribution paladin (and sometimes destruction warlock), and settling provocative Tolkien debates, such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, she's been to over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration, and is always planning her next adventure.
Sarah and her husband live in a beautiful corner of SE Pennsylvania with their three tiny benevolent pug dictators.
Connect with Sarah:
sarahmcradit.com
Instagram: @sarahmcradit
Facebook: @sarahmcradit
Born a geek, Sarah spends her time crafting rich and multilayered worlds, obsessing over history, playing her retribution paladin (and sometimes destruction warlock), and settling provocative Tolkien debates, such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, she's been to over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration, and is always planning her next adventure.
Sarah and her husband live in a beautiful corner of SE Pennsylvania with their three tiny benevolent pug dictators.
Connect with Sarah:
sarahmcradit.com
Instagram: @sarahmcradit
Facebook: @sarahmcradit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
January 8, 2023
I stopped liking this book on page 10.
Because of the archaic character build up.
See, I'm all for reverse gender roles-- strong, arrogant, conceited girl instead of the guy, and then a meek, idiotic, so so stupid guy instead of the girl.
Wait... I didn't like it in this book. LIKE GET THIS, I ADORE the man being the sunshine in the relationship and all, but???? He cried more than I have in my entire lifetime and I've read my fair share of heart-wrenching books (in which I have glamorously sobbed and have thrown tantrums after the heart stomping) and for no reason at all!
The MC was running away- cue him sobbing.
The MC had a splinter- tears running down his cheeks.
Dude, I don't even like when female MCs are this- what's the word- INFURIATING.
Like yes please, show me all the emotions, I don't care if you're a man or not, be kind and gentle and however you want to be, but this pushover????? His POV had me in literal tears because of how pathetic he was, I literally could not take him serious!
(again, I would've thought the same if the roles were reversed)
For a bit of context, he was the son of an influential political family that didn't take care of their citizens (wow, the originality) and he thinks low of himself because he doesn't have the attention of his family.
His sister was being molested by his older brother and this man was like, okay, that's bad.
dfyuiop;lkvcfdgtyuioplkjhgfcdfgyuioplkjbvcxdfghyuiol,
UGH
So please, dear authors, a character can be kind and still strong. Can be physically smaller and still be tough and a warrior inside. THEY COULD BE THUMBELLINA AND SHE WAS STILL AMAZING. You don't need to get rid of one personality aspect and replace it with the other. They're not separate!
I consider myself a tough person, because I was raised like that, but NOBODY TELL ME THAT I CAN'T SOB UNTIL I BREAK AFTER THE TITANIC END.
AND AFTER THE END TOO- ARE YOU SAYING THEIR ROMANCE WASN'T REAL BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS THEMSELVES WEREN'T REAL?!? I'm done.
Because of the archaic character build up.
See, I'm all for reverse gender roles-- strong, arrogant, conceited girl instead of the guy, and then a meek, idiotic, so so stupid guy instead of the girl.
Wait... I didn't like it in this book. LIKE GET THIS, I ADORE the man being the sunshine in the relationship and all, but???? He cried more than I have in my entire lifetime and I've read my fair share of heart-wrenching books (in which I have glamorously sobbed and have thrown tantrums after the heart stomping) and for no reason at all!
The MC was running away- cue him sobbing.
The MC had a splinter- tears running down his cheeks.
Dude, I don't even like when female MCs are this- what's the word- INFURIATING.
Like yes please, show me all the emotions, I don't care if you're a man or not, be kind and gentle and however you want to be, but this pushover????? His POV had me in literal tears because of how pathetic he was, I literally could not take him serious!
(again, I would've thought the same if the roles were reversed)
For a bit of context, he was the son of an influential political family that didn't take care of their citizens (wow, the originality) and he thinks low of himself because he doesn't have the attention of his family.
His sister was being molested by his older brother and this man was like, okay, that's bad.
dfyuiop;lkvcfdgtyuioplkjhgfcdfgyuioplkjbvcxdfghyuiol,
UGH
So please, dear authors, a character can be kind and still strong. Can be physically smaller and still be tough and a warrior inside. THEY COULD BE THUMBELLINA AND SHE WAS STILL AMAZING. You don't need to get rid of one personality aspect and replace it with the other. They're not separate!
I consider myself a tough person, because I was raised like that, but NOBODY TELL ME THAT I CAN'T SOB UNTIL I BREAK AFTER THE TITANIC END.
AND AFTER THE END TOO- ARE YOU SAYING THEIR ROMANCE WASN'T REAL BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS THEMSELVES WEREN'T REAL?!? I'm done.
May 2, 2022
The Sylvan and the Sand is a fantastic addition to The Book of All Things series! The characters, the world-building, the romance!!! I fell so quickly into this immersive story and became so invested in Yesenia and Corbin’s journey. It’s dark and brutal, yet there are many glimpses of hope, love, and perseverance Plus, the slow-building, angsty, enemies-to-lovers romance is brilliant.
Bold, brave, and willing to speak her mind regardless of the dangers, Yesenia is so different from the women Corin knows, and he is equally intrigued and intimidated by her. Defined by her love of her land and her devotion to her family and people, Yesenia despises being thrust into the villainous and treacherous world of her enemies. However, as she gets to know the people and Corin and realizes they are similar in their ideals and desires, her goals and motivations slowly begin to change.
Though Corin seems softer and meeker than her, he is much like Yesenia in his abundance of inner strength and compulsion to help others. I loved his character! He’s such a cinnamon roll, and his sweetness and gentility complement Yesenia’s more abrasive and emotionally aloof personality well. Corin also stands in stark contrast to the rest of his family, who are absolutely wretched.
As Yesenia and Corin begin their marriage together, they try to see past the rumors and long-standing feuds and really get to understand what’s happening to their kingdoms and their people. They both want what’s best for everyone, unlike many of the leaders and family members they face, and it very much reflects both of their ideals and values. However, their romance is riddled with complications. Corin and Yesenia are enemies, they are very different, and they were forced into a marriage that neither desired. I like how they slowly come together and grow closer and embrace their new feelings for each other. You can tell they care for one another but are afraid to show it, especially Yesenia. She struggles a bit more than Corin to be emotionally vulnerable and to open herself up to love. However, even before they admit their feelings, you can see how they feel by the way they keep fighting for each other and protecting each other.
The world-building in this series is impressive, and I love that we see a whole new setting for the ones in the previous book. This world is vast, and the author paints such vivid images of the different kingdoms, locations, and people. It’s the kind of story that’s easy to get lost in, which can be attributed to the author’s style and storytelling.
I’m loving this series, and The Sylvan and the Sand is no exception. I think readers who enjoy romantasy will love this book, and though it’s the second in the series, it is a standalone. Special thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Bold, brave, and willing to speak her mind regardless of the dangers, Yesenia is so different from the women Corin knows, and he is equally intrigued and intimidated by her. Defined by her love of her land and her devotion to her family and people, Yesenia despises being thrust into the villainous and treacherous world of her enemies. However, as she gets to know the people and Corin and realizes they are similar in their ideals and desires, her goals and motivations slowly begin to change.
Though Corin seems softer and meeker than her, he is much like Yesenia in his abundance of inner strength and compulsion to help others. I loved his character! He’s such a cinnamon roll, and his sweetness and gentility complement Yesenia’s more abrasive and emotionally aloof personality well. Corin also stands in stark contrast to the rest of his family, who are absolutely wretched.
As Yesenia and Corin begin their marriage together, they try to see past the rumors and long-standing feuds and really get to understand what’s happening to their kingdoms and their people. They both want what’s best for everyone, unlike many of the leaders and family members they face, and it very much reflects both of their ideals and values. However, their romance is riddled with complications. Corin and Yesenia are enemies, they are very different, and they were forced into a marriage that neither desired. I like how they slowly come together and grow closer and embrace their new feelings for each other. You can tell they care for one another but are afraid to show it, especially Yesenia. She struggles a bit more than Corin to be emotionally vulnerable and to open herself up to love. However, even before they admit their feelings, you can see how they feel by the way they keep fighting for each other and protecting each other.
The world-building in this series is impressive, and I love that we see a whole new setting for the ones in the previous book. This world is vast, and the author paints such vivid images of the different kingdoms, locations, and people. It’s the kind of story that’s easy to get lost in, which can be attributed to the author’s style and storytelling.
I’m loving this series, and The Sylvan and the Sand is no exception. I think readers who enjoy romantasy will love this book, and though it’s the second in the series, it is a standalone. Special thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
July 18, 2022
The book starts off in the Southerlands with an overwhelming usage of overt Scotticisms, which were hard to read and understand at first, but quickly grew on me. As did the characters in this coastal region.
⠀
In the Kingdom of the White Sea, the four regions — Southerlands, Westerlands, Northerlands, and Easterlands — are not united. Some are enemies, some are just trying to survive, and some are scheming. So when the King calls them all to gather, they are wary. But, not as wary as they should be…
⠀
“𝕎𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕪. 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕕𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕕𝕠𝕞, 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖.” -King Khain
⠀
King Khain upsets the lives of the entire kingdom. This plot and story idea dragged me in and kept me engrossed throughout the book.
⠀
All the characters are well developed. The main character, Yesenia, was a character easy for me to relate to. I loved her love of the sea, her strength, her closeness to her family, and her desire to protect them.
⠀
“𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕙. 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕓𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕒, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖.” -Yesenia
⠀
This story has everything you want and more:
✅Enemies to Lovers
✅Danger
✅Steamy romance scenes
✅Big giant heart-wrenching plot twists
✅Epic Fantasy
⠀
I can’t wait to dive into this world more with the other two standalone books in the series!
⠀
In the Kingdom of the White Sea, the four regions — Southerlands, Westerlands, Northerlands, and Easterlands — are not united. Some are enemies, some are just trying to survive, and some are scheming. So when the King calls them all to gather, they are wary. But, not as wary as they should be…
⠀
“𝕎𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕪. 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕕𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕕𝕠𝕞, 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖.” -King Khain
⠀
King Khain upsets the lives of the entire kingdom. This plot and story idea dragged me in and kept me engrossed throughout the book.
⠀
All the characters are well developed. The main character, Yesenia, was a character easy for me to relate to. I loved her love of the sea, her strength, her closeness to her family, and her desire to protect them.
⠀
“𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕙. 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕓𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕒, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖.” -Yesenia
⠀
This story has everything you want and more:
✅Enemies to Lovers
✅Danger
✅Steamy romance scenes
✅Big giant heart-wrenching plot twists
✅Epic Fantasy
⠀
I can’t wait to dive into this world more with the other two standalone books in the series!
Read
August 19, 2024Note: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
For starters, I’m incredible picky when it comes to fantasy romance so the fact I have this five stars should alone speak for itself. I won’t include any spoilers so this review is going to be vague but I wanted to get into why I liked it.
The writing is solid, I was a little thrown by the heavy accents at first but I eventually settled into them and they were a unique way of differentiating between territories. So, please give them a chance if you’re like me and DNF books for dumb reasons like accents (like I said, I’m stupidly picky). Im glad I kept going and have been recommending it to everyone.
Yesenia is a great character. Initially I was worried she was going to fall into the rut of “strong female characters that’s actually just obnoxiously stubborn and not very smart” but she surprised me. There’s character growth as well, as she still remains strong willed to the very end but learns how to navigate the more adult world or court intrigue without throwing her daggers at everything (though said daggers are admittedly VERY cool).
The pacing was also good, the enemies to lovers was believable and the story never dragged at any point for me. Enemies to lovers is such a hard trope to have reader buy-in with but this one was done well and matched the character growth that happened.
This book is very spicy in my opinion, but I’m a bit of a prude so I think others will find it mildly spicy. I didn’t find it detracting though but I guess for a younger audience that would be good to note.
For starters, I’m incredible picky when it comes to fantasy romance so the fact I have this five stars should alone speak for itself. I won’t include any spoilers so this review is going to be vague but I wanted to get into why I liked it.
The writing is solid, I was a little thrown by the heavy accents at first but I eventually settled into them and they were a unique way of differentiating between territories. So, please give them a chance if you’re like me and DNF books for dumb reasons like accents (like I said, I’m stupidly picky). Im glad I kept going and have been recommending it to everyone.
Yesenia is a great character. Initially I was worried she was going to fall into the rut of “strong female characters that’s actually just obnoxiously stubborn and not very smart” but she surprised me. There’s character growth as well, as she still remains strong willed to the very end but learns how to navigate the more adult world or court intrigue without throwing her daggers at everything (though said daggers are admittedly VERY cool).
The pacing was also good, the enemies to lovers was believable and the story never dragged at any point for me. Enemies to lovers is such a hard trope to have reader buy-in with but this one was done well and matched the character growth that happened.
This book is very spicy in my opinion, but I’m a bit of a prude so I think others will find it mildly spicy. I didn’t find it detracting though but I guess for a younger audience that would be good to note.
May 8, 2022
THIS STORY IS AMAZING!
I was blessed enough to receive an eARC for The Sylvan and The Sand and The Raven and The Rush! Yesenia and Corbin embody the enemies to lovers trope. The world building is amazing and the introduction gives you a guide of the different places and the lords and the ladies etc.
Yesenia is one of my favorite characters because come on? Who doesn’t love a badass female MC! She is the one who protects Corin most of the time and honestly this is quickly becoming one of my favorite plot points! I love how they compliment each other even though Corin is more soft spoken. They are arranged to be married and Yesenia is completely against the marriage finding anyway to get out of it whereas Corin is trying to make the best of it and make it work.
Absolutely amazing book and I found it so hard to put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book and honestly I’m going to go re read it now!
I was blessed enough to receive an eARC for The Sylvan and The Sand and The Raven and The Rush! Yesenia and Corbin embody the enemies to lovers trope. The world building is amazing and the introduction gives you a guide of the different places and the lords and the ladies etc.
Yesenia is one of my favorite characters because come on? Who doesn’t love a badass female MC! She is the one who protects Corin most of the time and honestly this is quickly becoming one of my favorite plot points! I love how they compliment each other even though Corin is more soft spoken. They are arranged to be married and Yesenia is completely against the marriage finding anyway to get out of it whereas Corin is trying to make the best of it and make it work.
Absolutely amazing book and I found it so hard to put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book and honestly I’m going to go re read it now!
May 6, 2022
Ahhh I LOVE THIS BOOK SOO MUCH !!!
What a ride. The world buildings, the characters, story. Everything was just *chefs kiss*. I devoured this book in one sitting and it was soo fantastic. It is my top favourites.
Yesenia, was Badass heroine, fierce, loyal, strong woman. Corin, on the other hand, was total swoon and sweetest MMC I've ever met!!!! The couple's are my favourites. He is my cinnamon roll baby. I fall in love with him in first sight. The dagger to the throat scene was 🤤. The ending 🥺🥺🥺.
The book has all my favourite tropes - enemies to lovers, slow burn, angst, forced proximity, arranged marriage, dagger to throat, badass heroine, innocent hero. I would exchange my soul for reading this book first time.
I thank the author and her team for providing me ARC in exchange from my honest review.
What a ride. The world buildings, the characters, story. Everything was just *chefs kiss*. I devoured this book in one sitting and it was soo fantastic. It is my top favourites.
Yesenia, was Badass heroine, fierce, loyal, strong woman. Corin, on the other hand, was total swoon and sweetest MMC I've ever met!!!! The couple's are my favourites. He is my cinnamon roll baby. I fall in love with him in first sight. The dagger to the throat scene was 🤤. The ending 🥺🥺🥺.
The book has all my favourite tropes - enemies to lovers, slow burn, angst, forced proximity, arranged marriage, dagger to throat, badass heroine, innocent hero. I would exchange my soul for reading this book first time.
I thank the author and her team for providing me ARC in exchange from my honest review.
April 22, 2022
Oh boy...I absolutely ADORE this book.
The story arcs for both Yesenia and Corin are incredible. INCREDIBLE. They are true enemies-to-lovers and his persistence and her stubbornness creates this fantastic dynamic when they are thrust into a situation that was ideal for neither of them.
#Corsenia has to be one of my top couples and SMC keeps you guessing until the very end for how things will turn out!
Loved it, highly recommend.
The story arcs for both Yesenia and Corin are incredible. INCREDIBLE. They are true enemies-to-lovers and his persistence and her stubbornness creates this fantastic dynamic when they are thrust into a situation that was ideal for neither of them.
#Corsenia has to be one of my top couples and SMC keeps you guessing until the very end for how things will turn out!
Loved it, highly recommend.
May 1, 2022
Oh my god. Can i please just clear my memory of this book and read it all over again because I LOVED it. Yesenia and Corin are my new favorite book couple and Corin is definitely a book boyfriend because he is such an AMAZING character. The way he grew and showed his care and love for Yesenia, even in the beginning, was so mature and so amazing. He was such a great example of growth, with the way Aiden treated him/the way he let him treat him and even more.
I loved finding out about Corin’s secret with the horseback riding and such (IYKYK) and I loved Mara so much. She definitely added a motherly type sense for me throughout the chapters she was in. Yesenia is such a fireball and I’m so happy she eventually grew to trust Corin and that they got a good ending, even if they had to go through a lot to get there.
I loved finding out about Corin’s secret with the horseback riding and such (IYKYK) and I loved Mara so much. She definitely added a motherly type sense for me throughout the chapters she was in. Yesenia is such a fireball and I’m so happy she eventually grew to trust Corin and that they got a good ending, even if they had to go through a lot to get there.
May 12, 2022
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
The book began very intriguingly with Yesenia trying to have a spicy moment with Erran when he destroyed everything with his feelings – which for me was pretty funny because Yesenia was pretty hot and bothered and then he started talking destroying her mood and that made me giggle.
The humor from between the pages was the perfect thing ever. I will not quote any of the funny things said in the book because you legit have to read it yourself. The language can be tricky because it reminded me of the Outlander type of language, the Scottish language if I’m not wrong – it was tricky, but not extremely hard to understand or read and I felt it added something more unique to the book. Each one of them was talking so nice and colloquially and here comes Yesenia with her language which in my head sounded a little bit rougher for a lady back then – which made her even more unique.
Yesenia as a character she’s strong, definitely beautiful, and doesn’t shy away from that but at the same time she knows the body is just a body and doesn’t “price” it as everyone else in the kingdom does with pretty dresses and all of that, she’s more on the boyish side and I loved she held her ground and always had something hiding in her sleeve that would’ve stun everyone.
Corin as a character at the beginning I hated him. I loathed him with all my life because he was the perfect puppy for his brother and father and I hated him for not standing his ground towards his abusers, but along the way I’ve learned that he had two sides of him. A good doer in front of his dad and brother who wouldn’t blink in the wrong direction, and a secret side of him that did way more good behind their backs. I cheered when he first stood up against his brother, I adored that moment. This time the growth of a character wasn’t focused on the female as usual, but on the guy – Corin grew up immensely through the story and it was just perfect.
There was something magical in the book mostly about Yesenia’s brother – Byrne, we got a story about him towards the end of the story that kind of made me feel a little bit creepy, but in general, the book doesn’t contain a magical system. It does contain sexy scenes which are pretty spicy but not spicy to end up being smutty but enough to make you all blush.
The book contains a couple of tropes that I’ve enjoyed a lot, forced marriage, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and a new trope that I’ve not read previously – the surprising marriage. I thought I might not enjoy that trope but I actually did and it was really nicely made.
The plot twist, the bigger plot twist came towards the end of the book and it was just amazing. For me, the book has been a quick read and fast-paced and I legit didn’t realize when I ended up being 60% in it because it just flow so nicely.
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The book began very intriguingly with Yesenia trying to have a spicy moment with Erran when he destroyed everything with his feelings – which for me was pretty funny because Yesenia was pretty hot and bothered and then he started talking destroying her mood and that made me giggle.
The humor from between the pages was the perfect thing ever. I will not quote any of the funny things said in the book because you legit have to read it yourself. The language can be tricky because it reminded me of the Outlander type of language, the Scottish language if I’m not wrong – it was tricky, but not extremely hard to understand or read and I felt it added something more unique to the book. Each one of them was talking so nice and colloquially and here comes Yesenia with her language which in my head sounded a little bit rougher for a lady back then – which made her even more unique.
Yesenia as a character she’s strong, definitely beautiful, and doesn’t shy away from that but at the same time she knows the body is just a body and doesn’t “price” it as everyone else in the kingdom does with pretty dresses and all of that, she’s more on the boyish side and I loved she held her ground and always had something hiding in her sleeve that would’ve stun everyone.
Corin as a character at the beginning I hated him. I loathed him with all my life because he was the perfect puppy for his brother and father and I hated him for not standing his ground towards his abusers, but along the way I’ve learned that he had two sides of him. A good doer in front of his dad and brother who wouldn’t blink in the wrong direction, and a secret side of him that did way more good behind their backs. I cheered when he first stood up against his brother, I adored that moment. This time the growth of a character wasn’t focused on the female as usual, but on the guy – Corin grew up immensely through the story and it was just perfect.
There was something magical in the book mostly about Yesenia’s brother – Byrne, we got a story about him towards the end of the story that kind of made me feel a little bit creepy, but in general, the book doesn’t contain a magical system. It does contain sexy scenes which are pretty spicy but not spicy to end up being smutty but enough to make you all blush.
The book contains a couple of tropes that I’ve enjoyed a lot, forced marriage, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and a new trope that I’ve not read previously – the surprising marriage. I thought I might not enjoy that trope but I actually did and it was really nicely made.
The plot twist, the bigger plot twist came towards the end of the book and it was just amazing. For me, the book has been a quick read and fast-paced and I legit didn’t realize when I ended up being 60% in it because it just flow so nicely.
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May 2, 2022
I absolutely adore Sarah's writing! It's so vivid and captivating! Each story is different, but beautifully told. This story has a little something for everyone. Enemies to lovers, Romeo and Juliet-esque, opposites attract, etc.
Yesenia is a badass from the Southerlands while Corin is a soft hearted man from the Easterlands. The Warwicks and Quinlandens have been enemies forever, so when the king decides that they'll put their past behind them, marry, and bring peace to the kingdoms, Yesenia is already plotting ways to get out of the marriage. Corin is ready to accept his new wife and make the best of it. But his family is awful... his father and brother absolutely awful characters. The trials they face are what bring them together but man I really spent the whole book wishing Yesenia would just stick a dagger in Chasten and Aidens throats.
Anywho, epic book! Definitely recommend!
Yesenia is a badass from the Southerlands while Corin is a soft hearted man from the Easterlands. The Warwicks and Quinlandens have been enemies forever, so when the king decides that they'll put their past behind them, marry, and bring peace to the kingdoms, Yesenia is already plotting ways to get out of the marriage. Corin is ready to accept his new wife and make the best of it. But his family is awful... his father and brother absolutely awful characters. The trials they face are what bring them together but man I really spent the whole book wishing Yesenia would just stick a dagger in Chasten and Aidens throats.
Anywho, epic book! Definitely recommend!
May 3, 2022
Yesenia has been avoiding the topic of marriage by her father, wanting to prove she doesn't need a husband to be as capable as her brothers. Corin wishes to just be away from his father and his tyrannical ways. But in a move no one saw coming, the King of the realm has arranged marriages between many of the kingdom's eligible children, and Yesenia and Corin find themselves betrothed to each other.
I always love this author's writing, but they outdid it with this story. The plot is fascinating, drawing you in with the fantasy world and epic story between our main characters. Yesenia and Corin are two unlikely matches, and are complete opposites in terms of personality. But when they're together, they make perfect sense and create a romance that is to die for.
I always love this author's writing, but they outdid it with this story. The plot is fascinating, drawing you in with the fantasy world and epic story between our main characters. Yesenia and Corin are two unlikely matches, and are complete opposites in terms of personality. But when they're together, they make perfect sense and create a romance that is to die for.
April 25, 2022
Divided Kingdoms...Family Cruelty/Bullying...Forced Marriage...Family Loyalty...
Fear of love that lasts. Find true self and purpose amidst turmoil. Strength and humbleness are a complement to opposing personalities. "Salt and sand" isn't a place; it follows wherever you go.
Fear...Weakness...Betrayal...Respect...Choice...Protection...Love...
A remarkable journey of growth away from home in a troubled kingdom spurs this story from beginning to end. Detailed character development/growth and world building. Intriguing plot. Well-developed book that'll capture and hold the readers attention throughout.
"Some were born of salt and sand. Others were remade."
"Together."
"Perhaps one day your names will fade, with the hard memories of this day. But none living today will ever forget."
Fear of love that lasts. Find true self and purpose amidst turmoil. Strength and humbleness are a complement to opposing personalities. "Salt and sand" isn't a place; it follows wherever you go.
Fear...Weakness...Betrayal...Respect...Choice...Protection...Love...
A remarkable journey of growth away from home in a troubled kingdom spurs this story from beginning to end. Detailed character development/growth and world building. Intriguing plot. Well-developed book that'll capture and hold the readers attention throughout.
"Some were born of salt and sand. Others were remade."
"Together."
"Perhaps one day your names will fade, with the hard memories of this day. But none living today will ever forget."
April 25, 2022
The story telling and the world building are what the author excels at. As I read, I can see the surroundings and the sounds as if I were there.
I really loved Corin and Yesenia. Both being thrown in way over their heads made them stronger and more resilient, and guardians know they needed all the help they could get. Corin’s very nature allowed him to chip away at the high walls Yesenia had constructed around her heart. Together, they were unstoppable.
I really loved Corin and Yesenia. Both being thrown in way over their heads made them stronger and more resilient, and guardians know they needed all the help they could get. Corin’s very nature allowed him to chip away at the high walls Yesenia had constructed around her heart. Together, they were unstoppable.
May 7, 2022
First things first, I was seriously impressed with the interior of this book. The book is split into a few different sections and before each section was a gorgous piece of artwork that represented the coming chapters. This, my friends, is what Indie publishing can be.
Now, on to the story. I loved how much of a spitfire Yesenia was. She brought so much life to the story and handled her new environment very well. I also loved her influence on her husband. He was quite a pushover at the beginning of the story, but eventually stood up for himself and Yesenia.
Another aspect of the book that I liked was that the characters spoke with a bit of an accent, and that was portryated in the spelling of words. None of it was difficult to understand, and honestly, it was my favorite part.
As a fair warning, there are a lot of politics between the kingdoms in the beginning of the story. There were a lot of names and it was a lot to keep up with. I ended up having to skim that section, but it did not detract from the story at all.
I would recommend The Sylvan and the Sand for fans of Serpent & Dove and The Bridge Kingdom.
Tropes: forced marriage, enemies to lovers
Content: there were some *ahem* married scenes (easy to skip), attempted r*pe (stopped), Yesenia's past love wanted a relationship with her even though they were both married (she said no), mentions of Yesenia's previous romantic relationships, made up and real cursing
Note: Technically this is listed as YA, however due to the subject matter and content, I would call it NA.
4 Stars
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
Now, on to the story. I loved how much of a spitfire Yesenia was. She brought so much life to the story and handled her new environment very well. I also loved her influence on her husband. He was quite a pushover at the beginning of the story, but eventually stood up for himself and Yesenia.
Another aspect of the book that I liked was that the characters spoke with a bit of an accent, and that was portryated in the spelling of words. None of it was difficult to understand, and honestly, it was my favorite part.
As a fair warning, there are a lot of politics between the kingdoms in the beginning of the story. There were a lot of names and it was a lot to keep up with. I ended up having to skim that section, but it did not detract from the story at all.
I would recommend The Sylvan and the Sand for fans of Serpent & Dove and The Bridge Kingdom.
Tropes: forced marriage, enemies to lovers
Content: there were some *ahem* married scenes (easy to skip), attempted r*pe (stopped), Yesenia's past love wanted a relationship with her even though they were both married (she said no), mentions of Yesenia's previous romantic relationships, made up and real cursing
Note: Technically this is listed as YA, however due to the subject matter and content, I would call it NA.
4 Stars
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
May 31, 2022
I love this author- this is now my 3rd book of hers and I binged it in 1 shot. Chapter one was amazing and a character snorting stew is now my new favourite thing... If I could show you how that played out in my head... GOLD! 🤣🤣
A few of my fave tropes are in this book, including enemies to lovers and arranged marriage... That combo... OUFFF. EPIC and oh so WILD 🤣 (I was wondering when that wedding scene would pop up, it didn't disappoint! Haha). I love the fact that Corin, the love interest in this book, was so tender-hearted and that he had to work and grow in order to become closer to the typical love interest we find in romantasy these days. Yesenia is already a strong, independent and, let's be honest, stubborn 😂 MC but her love story with Corin is packed with super sweet moments of hope and love 🥰, despite having started rather dark and brutal. They overcame the odds and fought to be together and totally managed to melt my heart in the process.
The pacing was great and the world building - phenomenal! There is a whole slew of characters, which along with the darker themes always makes me refer to these books as a YA/NA version of Game of Thrones haha. Don't let it shy you away because they are so so good and the perfect stepping stone if you're looking to transition from YA fantasy to adult.
Rating: 5 🌟
Spice: 🌶🌶/5 (they're not super descriptive but there are multiple scenes!)
CW: Violence, bullying
A huge thank you to the author and her PA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A few of my fave tropes are in this book, including enemies to lovers and arranged marriage... That combo... OUFFF. EPIC and oh so WILD 🤣 (I was wondering when that wedding scene would pop up, it didn't disappoint! Haha). I love the fact that Corin, the love interest in this book, was so tender-hearted and that he had to work and grow in order to become closer to the typical love interest we find in romantasy these days. Yesenia is already a strong, independent and, let's be honest, stubborn 😂 MC but her love story with Corin is packed with super sweet moments of hope and love 🥰, despite having started rather dark and brutal. They overcame the odds and fought to be together and totally managed to melt my heart in the process.
The pacing was great and the world building - phenomenal! There is a whole slew of characters, which along with the darker themes always makes me refer to these books as a YA/NA version of Game of Thrones haha. Don't let it shy you away because they are so so good and the perfect stepping stone if you're looking to transition from YA fantasy to adult.
Rating: 5 🌟
Spice: 🌶🌶/5 (they're not super descriptive but there are multiple scenes!)
CW: Violence, bullying
A huge thank you to the author and her PA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2022
Just when I think Miss Cradit has broken me for the last time, she writes a new book and the process happens all over again. This book captivated me from the start. I knew after reading the prologue and first chapter, I wouldn’t be the same.
So many events, both tragic and harmonious happen in this tale of enemies to lovers. There is a certain event that happens and the author has given you a first row seat. As it unfolds, you’re powerless to stop what’s happening. The characters are very well written. They always feel like old friends. The emotional rollercoaster that is this book is enchanting and entertaining.
If you enjoy epic fantasy tales that make you feel your feels and want to learn how to sword fight, this book is for you. A tale packed with action, intrigue, betrayal, murder, and hope, this book is a must read! Skip adding it your TBR and read it today! I give it 5 stars.
So many events, both tragic and harmonious happen in this tale of enemies to lovers. There is a certain event that happens and the author has given you a first row seat. As it unfolds, you’re powerless to stop what’s happening. The characters are very well written. They always feel like old friends. The emotional rollercoaster that is this book is enchanting and entertaining.
If you enjoy epic fantasy tales that make you feel your feels and want to learn how to sword fight, this book is for you. A tale packed with action, intrigue, betrayal, murder, and hope, this book is a must read! Skip adding it your TBR and read it today! I give it 5 stars.
April 25, 2022
After having the pleasure of reading an early copy of The Sylvan and the Sand, I am excited to dive further into the world of Kingdom of the White Seas. A story filled with romance and intrigue, The Sylvan and the Sand introduces readers to a vast and vibrant world. With an enemies-to-lovers romance and spicy scenes that will make you swoon, you'll adore this badass, dagger-wielding heroine and her journey to find love.
To keep things strictly spoiler free, I'll leave you with this:
If you love Sarah J. Maas's heroines, Sen is your girl.
If you can't resist a romance built on politics and power plays, this is your next read.
And if you like blades, fighting, steamy scenes, and happy endings, you will not be disappointed in The Sylvan and the Sand.
Trigger warning: The Sylvan and the Sand includes references to sexual assault and partner violence.
To keep things strictly spoiler free, I'll leave you with this:
If you love Sarah J. Maas's heroines, Sen is your girl.
If you can't resist a romance built on politics and power plays, this is your next read.
And if you like blades, fighting, steamy scenes, and happy endings, you will not be disappointed in The Sylvan and the Sand.
Trigger warning: The Sylvan and the Sand includes references to sexual assault and partner violence.
May 4, 2022
This is book 2 of a series, but don’t let that stop you from reading it. It doesn’t matter. It’s totally a stand-alone. Which I love by the way.
I have to say that I haven’t enjoyed a book as much as this in quite a while. It had everything I needed to make a very satisfying read. In this story there are Kingdoms, arranged alliances, heartbreaks, power plays and many lies and deceit. But for me the best part was the romance that develops. I. Love. Them.
The author writes a great story. Wonderful characters. Some are likable, some are lovable and I even hated my fair share of them. I hugged this novel when I finished it. And I’m so excited about the next in the series.
I highly recommend this.
Thanks Sarah M. Cradit for this ARC. I LOVED. IT. 💗
I have to say that I haven’t enjoyed a book as much as this in quite a while. It had everything I needed to make a very satisfying read. In this story there are Kingdoms, arranged alliances, heartbreaks, power plays and many lies and deceit. But for me the best part was the romance that develops. I. Love. Them.
The author writes a great story. Wonderful characters. Some are likable, some are lovable and I even hated my fair share of them. I hugged this novel when I finished it. And I’m so excited about the next in the series.
I highly recommend this.
Thanks Sarah M. Cradit for this ARC. I LOVED. IT. 💗
May 5, 2022
DNF @ 42 %
So what’s going on?
I honestly don’t know. If I’m being honest, I would say that the premise & the writing of the 1st book in this series was much more interesting compared to this one.
There are sensitive topics that are tackled here and the feminist theme, but I would say the characterizations felt flat for me.
So far I couldn’t honestly care on what’s going on with the characters? I just felt like I’m going to a slump with how the story telling was being executed.
Overall, I think this could have been better in terms of the execution. Hopefully the 3rd book which I’m so interested in would serve.
𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝒆-𝒂𝒓𝒄 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
So what’s going on?
I honestly don’t know. If I’m being honest, I would say that the premise & the writing of the 1st book in this series was much more interesting compared to this one.
There are sensitive topics that are tackled here and the feminist theme, but I would say the characterizations felt flat for me.
So far I couldn’t honestly care on what’s going on with the characters? I just felt like I’m going to a slump with how the story telling was being executed.
Overall, I think this could have been better in terms of the execution. Hopefully the 3rd book which I’m so interested in would serve.
𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝒆-𝒂𝒓𝒄 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
Read
November 4, 2022I got this book in a giveaway a while back with book one and I just want to say that this book is gorgeous. The books in this series are some of the prettiest books I've ever seen.
I in no way intended to read this book, or even start with book two. I was just picking it up out of boredom one night, I opened it up to look at the pretty formatting and immediately got sucked in. Like I opened it up in part two, at least a hundred pages in and read a few sentences, then a few pages, and then the next thing I knew I was finishing the book.
I read this book very unconventionally (someday I'll read the beginning, I'm sure...), I never start in the middle of a book, but I couldn't stop when I started and I was so sucked in that I didn't want to go back to the beginning. I wanted to know what was happening. Corin was an amazing human being and his chemistry with Sen (I'm scared to try to spell her full name) was sizzling. I stayed up WAY to late finishing this story and must now suffer for the rest of the day.
But it was worth it.
Content: There are three (maybe four? Possibly five... hard to tell with skimming) sex scenes. They're between a married couple, but it is, from what I saw, rather detailed. There's a lot of sex discussed, attempted rape, attempted adultery. a handful of language (including at least one f-bomb). Mentions of self-harm and killing oneself.
I don't usually read books with such steaminess, however, as I said I got the book for free. So, I definitely applaud the author in the fact that her book was interesting enough to keep me reading even when I came across stuff I didn't like.
Normally the content would very much affect my rating, but seeing as I went into this book knowing it would have some of it, I can't exactly fault the author. So, I'll just refrain from rating the book and leave it at this. The book is phenomenal, but if you read it know what you will be getting into and also be prepared to skip some parts. I'll definitely be reading book one at some point since I own it. Will I continue with the rest of the series? Um, probably not. This was according to the author a two on her steaminess scale, and it was far above my comfort level. So, I'm definitely scared of what I would find in a book that has a level four steaminess. I'll just content myself with admiring these books from afar... unless I win more in another giveaway. Then I might just have to do some skipping/skim reading over certain parts.
I in no way intended to read this book, or even start with book two. I was just picking it up out of boredom one night, I opened it up to look at the pretty formatting and immediately got sucked in. Like I opened it up in part two, at least a hundred pages in and read a few sentences, then a few pages, and then the next thing I knew I was finishing the book.
I read this book very unconventionally (someday I'll read the beginning, I'm sure...), I never start in the middle of a book, but I couldn't stop when I started and I was so sucked in that I didn't want to go back to the beginning. I wanted to know what was happening. Corin was an amazing human being and his chemistry with Sen (I'm scared to try to spell her full name) was sizzling. I stayed up WAY to late finishing this story and must now suffer for the rest of the day.
But it was worth it.
Content: There are three (maybe four? Possibly five... hard to tell with skimming) sex scenes. They're between a married couple, but it is, from what I saw, rather detailed. There's a lot of sex discussed, attempted rape, attempted adultery. a handful of language (including at least one f-bomb). Mentions of self-harm and killing oneself.
I don't usually read books with such steaminess, however, as I said I got the book for free. So, I definitely applaud the author in the fact that her book was interesting enough to keep me reading even when I came across stuff I didn't like.
Normally the content would very much affect my rating, but seeing as I went into this book knowing it would have some of it, I can't exactly fault the author. So, I'll just refrain from rating the book and leave it at this. The book is phenomenal, but if you read it know what you will be getting into and also be prepared to skip some parts. I'll definitely be reading book one at some point since I own it. Will I continue with the rest of the series? Um, probably not. This was according to the author a two on her steaminess scale, and it was far above my comfort level. So, I'm definitely scared of what I would find in a book that has a level four steaminess. I'll just content myself with admiring these books from afar... unless I win more in another giveaway. Then I might just have to do some skipping/skim reading over certain parts.
July 14, 2022
For a person with extreme anxiety and restlessness with books that are slow paced and long I found this book oddly relaxing, although triggering at times I still loved every bit of this book from start to finish.
I absolutely loved Yesenia's strength and resilience and Corin's sweet sensitive nature was such a breath of fresh air from the usual macho men I read in books, it's always great when authors break stereotypes and Sarah did exactly that with both Yesenia and Corin's characters.
When I started this book I quickly realised it was a prequel to The Kingless Crown. A prequel describing the Epoch and the Union between the different Reaches of the White Kingdom.
To read about the characters who were parents in The Kingless Crown was so exciting, to visit the families I had loved when I'd read the OG trilogy made me so happy.
I always liked Khallum lol and to see him as a young man in The Sylvan and The Sand was fascinating.
Yesenia's hatred towards Quinlandens was so palpable that it truly made the whole enemies to lovers trope delightful.Corin perfectly balanced out Yesenia's roughness and I loved how the whole enemies to lovers trope played out. This book delivered the true essence of enemies to lovers. Yesenia piqued Corin's interest, almost to the point that it did feel like insta love but Yesenia's hatred balances out the instant admiration Corin felt for her.
Corin is sweet, that's honestly the word I'd use to describe him. Where Yesenia is fierce and strong, Corin is soft and sweet. I wanted to give him a hug and protect him lol
Yesenia's character really impressed me!! So much so that I want to become her!!!
The way Sarah writes and weaves a story is impressive and commendable. Everytime I crack open her book, my jaw literally drops to the floor at how talented she is with words!!! Like WHO EVEN WRITES LIKE THAT???
HER characters are brilliant, her world building and plot are extremely engaging, there's so much drama political intrigue that you forget you even need sleep, her plot twists blindside you, her characters are RELATABLE and give you strength to fight back and her words hypnotize you.
The author defied the stereotypes by completely altering the two protagonists! Yesenia is strong witted she knows how to defend herself, how to weild a dagger, she knows politics and has been actively involved in making important decisions in her Reach. Corin on the other hand is really sensitive and kind, he doesn't quite know the workings of his castle, isn't well versed in politics of the court although he does shine in plenty of instances but overall he's not exactly the stereotypical male. He doesn't even know how to use the daggers and actually asks for help with them, that is one of the cutest scenes in the book honestly.
My love for Yesenia's retorts knows no bounds 🤣
She made me laugh so many times and poor Corin who had no idea how to handle someone like Yesenia, he was such a gentleman from the get go. My sweet Corin!!
This book I felt is more a character driven book than a plot driven, sure there was alot of backstabbing and politics involved but it was more about the protagonist's growth.
I love love love Sarah and her books. I highly recommend this book.
Beware, you wont be able to put this book down, it has the craziest ride ever. I literally wanna go on and on about this book because you rarely find a book that checks all the boxes. Not only am I obsessed with her characters, I am obsessed with her stories and her world.
I can't wait to read her other books.
Thankyou so much for my advanced copy.
I absolutely loved Yesenia's strength and resilience and Corin's sweet sensitive nature was such a breath of fresh air from the usual macho men I read in books, it's always great when authors break stereotypes and Sarah did exactly that with both Yesenia and Corin's characters.
When I started this book I quickly realised it was a prequel to The Kingless Crown. A prequel describing the Epoch and the Union between the different Reaches of the White Kingdom.
To read about the characters who were parents in The Kingless Crown was so exciting, to visit the families I had loved when I'd read the OG trilogy made me so happy.
I always liked Khallum lol and to see him as a young man in The Sylvan and The Sand was fascinating.
Yesenia's hatred towards Quinlandens was so palpable that it truly made the whole enemies to lovers trope delightful.Corin perfectly balanced out Yesenia's roughness and I loved how the whole enemies to lovers trope played out. This book delivered the true essence of enemies to lovers. Yesenia piqued Corin's interest, almost to the point that it did feel like insta love but Yesenia's hatred balances out the instant admiration Corin felt for her.
Corin is sweet, that's honestly the word I'd use to describe him. Where Yesenia is fierce and strong, Corin is soft and sweet. I wanted to give him a hug and protect him lol
Yesenia's character really impressed me!! So much so that I want to become her!!!
The way Sarah writes and weaves a story is impressive and commendable. Everytime I crack open her book, my jaw literally drops to the floor at how talented she is with words!!! Like WHO EVEN WRITES LIKE THAT???
HER characters are brilliant, her world building and plot are extremely engaging, there's so much drama political intrigue that you forget you even need sleep, her plot twists blindside you, her characters are RELATABLE and give you strength to fight back and her words hypnotize you.
The author defied the stereotypes by completely altering the two protagonists! Yesenia is strong witted she knows how to defend herself, how to weild a dagger, she knows politics and has been actively involved in making important decisions in her Reach. Corin on the other hand is really sensitive and kind, he doesn't quite know the workings of his castle, isn't well versed in politics of the court although he does shine in plenty of instances but overall he's not exactly the stereotypical male. He doesn't even know how to use the daggers and actually asks for help with them, that is one of the cutest scenes in the book honestly.
My love for Yesenia's retorts knows no bounds 🤣
She made me laugh so many times and poor Corin who had no idea how to handle someone like Yesenia, he was such a gentleman from the get go. My sweet Corin!!
This book I felt is more a character driven book than a plot driven, sure there was alot of backstabbing and politics involved but it was more about the protagonist's growth.
I love love love Sarah and her books. I highly recommend this book.
Beware, you wont be able to put this book down, it has the craziest ride ever. I literally wanna go on and on about this book because you rarely find a book that checks all the boxes. Not only am I obsessed with her characters, I am obsessed with her stories and her world.
I can't wait to read her other books.
Thankyou so much for my advanced copy.
May 12, 2022
Sarah M. Cradit is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I read the first book in this series, The Raven and the Rush, last year and loved it. I enjoyed The Sylvan and the Sand just as much. While each book in this series is a standalone and can be read in any order, they are set in the world of Sarah’s previous series, Kingdom of the White Sea. I will be reading that series this summer.
I loved the premise of this story. We have enemy kingdoms–they all hate each other. But we have a king who decides the only way to have peace is to mix it up a bit. Quite literally. He marries off the children of the royal houses to the children of their enemy houses. None of the children are happy. None of the house leaders has a choice. All are surprised by it. I think there is more to this king’s plan than we know yet. Or maybe he’s one that likes to mess in people’s lives just for his own sick pleasure. Who knows? But it made for a great story!
Yesenia is a badass. She talks a good game and can back it up with her dagger skills. However, we get to see behind that facade she’s made for herself. Even so, we only get small glimpses of her insecurity, fear, and longing before the armor snaps tightly shut again. Her love for her people drives her to do the things she does and accept the hand she’s dealt (even if she’s planning another way all along). I love her strength and I understand her mistrust. I kept hoping for something good to happen for her.
Corin is my favorite character. His Robin Hood spirit touches me. Even while growing up and living his whole life dealing with the cruelty dealt out by those who were supposed to love and protect him, he didn’t lose his tender heart for people who had less than he did. He tried to change the pain that his father imposed as best he could and the people loved him for it. Being forced to marry Yesenia, an enemy of his people, might prove to be the hardest challenge yet, especially when he doesn’t see her as his enemy. Every time something good was about to turn his life in a different direction, his father and brother did something to tear it back down again. This man deserves a happily ever after!
The villains in this story deserve what they get and so much more. Their cruelty against others knew no bounds. It was written in such a way that makes it not only believable, but probable, in real life. I’m sure there are those that behave just as cruelly. I couldn’t find even a smidgeon of any kind of redemptive quality to these two characters. I truly wanted to see them both come to the most terrible end.
Enemies to lovers and forbidden love are my two favorite tropes. This story has both. I love how the story culminated in a final battle and a very satisfying ending. I cannot wait to read the next installment in this series!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to fans of fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy romance, enemies to lovers, and forbidden love.
I received an e-arc for being part of Sarah’s ARC team and in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the premise of this story. We have enemy kingdoms–they all hate each other. But we have a king who decides the only way to have peace is to mix it up a bit. Quite literally. He marries off the children of the royal houses to the children of their enemy houses. None of the children are happy. None of the house leaders has a choice. All are surprised by it. I think there is more to this king’s plan than we know yet. Or maybe he’s one that likes to mess in people’s lives just for his own sick pleasure. Who knows? But it made for a great story!
Yesenia is a badass. She talks a good game and can back it up with her dagger skills. However, we get to see behind that facade she’s made for herself. Even so, we only get small glimpses of her insecurity, fear, and longing before the armor snaps tightly shut again. Her love for her people drives her to do the things she does and accept the hand she’s dealt (even if she’s planning another way all along). I love her strength and I understand her mistrust. I kept hoping for something good to happen for her.
Corin is my favorite character. His Robin Hood spirit touches me. Even while growing up and living his whole life dealing with the cruelty dealt out by those who were supposed to love and protect him, he didn’t lose his tender heart for people who had less than he did. He tried to change the pain that his father imposed as best he could and the people loved him for it. Being forced to marry Yesenia, an enemy of his people, might prove to be the hardest challenge yet, especially when he doesn’t see her as his enemy. Every time something good was about to turn his life in a different direction, his father and brother did something to tear it back down again. This man deserves a happily ever after!
The villains in this story deserve what they get and so much more. Their cruelty against others knew no bounds. It was written in such a way that makes it not only believable, but probable, in real life. I’m sure there are those that behave just as cruelly. I couldn’t find even a smidgeon of any kind of redemptive quality to these two characters. I truly wanted to see them both come to the most terrible end.
Enemies to lovers and forbidden love are my two favorite tropes. This story has both. I love how the story culminated in a final battle and a very satisfying ending. I cannot wait to read the next installment in this series!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to fans of fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy romance, enemies to lovers, and forbidden love.
I received an e-arc for being part of Sarah’s ARC team and in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2022
❝𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘦.❞
☾ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖺 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗂𝗍𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿. 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗅𝗒 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗧𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗦. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝗎𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍. 𝖨 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗧𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗦 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖺𝗇 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗋𝗈𝖽𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝗀𝗎𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗅𝖺𝖽𝗒, 𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅, 𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗇, 𝖾𝗍𝖼.
☾ 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗆 𝗈𝖿 𝖶𝗁𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖲𝖾𝖺 𝗂𝗌 𝗏𝖺𝗌𝗍. 𝖨𝗍 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝗈𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌: 𝖤𝖺𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌, 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌, 𝖭𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖶𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌. 𝖮𝗎𝗋 𝖬𝖢𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖽𝗂𝖿𝖿𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖭𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗋𝗎𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖰𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗋𝗎𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝖺𝗋𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗌. 𝖨𝗇 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽𝗌, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒’𝗋𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗆𝗂𝖾𝗌, 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼����𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖰𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗅𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝖺𝗋𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗌.
☾ 𝗬𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗑𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋. 𝖲𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝖾𝗋𝗒, 𝖻𝗈𝗅𝖽, 𝖻𝗋𝖺𝗏𝖾, 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝖢𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗄 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝖿𝗍-𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝗂𝖽𝖽𝗅𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽. 𝖧𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖼𝗂𝗇𝗇𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗇 𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗅, 𝖺 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾’𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗅𝖺𝗒𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌. 𝖨 𝖺𝖻𝗌𝗈𝗅𝗎𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝖾’𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝖺 𝖻𝖺𝖽𝖺𝗌𝗌 𝖿𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖾 𝖬𝖢 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖾 𝖬𝖢 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖺𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽. 𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝗇𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾. 𝖨’𝗆 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗌𝖺𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖢𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍/𝖽𝖾𝖿𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝖸𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗂𝖺, 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋. 𝖧𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝗒, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗅𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁. 𝖨 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗉𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖬𝖢𝗌. 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨’𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗍. 𝖨’𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 #𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗔 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝖽𝖺𝗒. 𝖨 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗃𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗇𝖾𝗒 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁.
☾ 𝖨 𝗁𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗅𝗒 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝖳𝖲𝖠𝖳𝖲 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁:
✶ 𝖤𝗇𝖾𝗆𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌
✶ 𝖠𝗋𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗂𝖺𝗀𝖾
✶ 𝖡𝖺𝖽𝖺𝗌𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗂𝗇𝖾
✶ 𝖶𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲. 𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝖪𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖶𝖺𝗋𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝖺𝖻𝗌𝗈𝗅𝗎𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 (𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗀𝗈𝗍).
𝗜’𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.
☾ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖺 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗂𝗍𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿. 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗅𝗒 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗧𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗦. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝗎𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍. 𝖨 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗧𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗦 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖺𝗇 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗋𝗈𝖽𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝗀𝗎𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗅𝖺𝖽𝗒, 𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅, 𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗇, 𝖾𝗍𝖼.
☾ 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗆 𝗈𝖿 𝖶𝗁𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖲𝖾𝖺 𝗂𝗌 𝗏𝖺𝗌𝗍. 𝖨𝗍 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝗈𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌: 𝖤𝖺𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌, 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌, 𝖭𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖶𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌. 𝖮𝗎𝗋 𝖬𝖢𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖽𝗂𝖿𝖿𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖭𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗋𝗎𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖰𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗋𝗎𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝖺𝗋𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗌. 𝖨𝗇 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽𝗌, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒’𝗋𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗆𝗂𝖾𝗌, 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼����𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖰𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗅𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝖺𝗋𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗌.
☾ 𝗬𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗑𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋. 𝖲𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝖾𝗋𝗒, 𝖻𝗈𝗅𝖽, 𝖻𝗋𝖺𝗏𝖾, 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝖢𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗄 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝖿𝗍-𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝗂𝖽𝖽𝗅𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽. 𝖧𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖼𝗂𝗇𝗇𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗇 𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗅, 𝖺 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾’𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗅𝖺𝗒𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌. 𝖨 𝖺𝖻𝗌𝗈𝗅𝗎𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝖾’𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝖺 𝖻𝖺𝖽𝖺𝗌𝗌 𝖿𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖾 𝖬𝖢 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖾 𝖬𝖢 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖺𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽. 𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝗇𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾. 𝖨’𝗆 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗌𝖺𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖢𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍/𝖽𝖾𝖿𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝖸𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗂𝖺, 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋. 𝖧𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝗒, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗅𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁. 𝖨 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗉𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖬𝖢𝗌. 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨’𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗍. 𝖨’𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 #𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗔 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝖽𝖺𝗒. 𝖨 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗃𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗇𝖾𝗒 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁.
☾ 𝖨 𝗁𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗅𝗒 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝖳𝖲𝖠𝖳𝖲 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁:
✶ 𝖤𝗇𝖾𝗆𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌
✶ 𝖠𝗋𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗂𝖺𝗀𝖾
✶ 𝖡𝖺𝖽𝖺𝗌𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗂𝗇𝖾
✶ 𝖶𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲. 𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝖪𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖶𝖺𝗋𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝖺𝖻𝗌𝗈𝗅𝗎𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 (𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗀𝗈𝗍).
𝗜’𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.
May 31, 2022
The Quinlandens and the Warwicks have always been enemies, and nothing about that will ever change. But when the Rhiagain king forces a series of marriage between the children of the nobility, their worlds are forever changed. The fierce and brash Yesenia Warwick now must wed quiet, caring Corin Quinlanden, and there’s nothing she can do to stop it.
Yesenia carries her family’s hatred of the Quinlandens deep in her bones, but Corin is nothing like she expected. However, she can’t help but wonder if Corin’s kindness is a mask. As for Corin, he’s never really believed that someone he’s never met could be his enemy. He’s attracted to Yesenia, and while he knows better than to dream of a real marriage, he at least wants to try for a friendship. But Yesenia is stubborn, and Corin’s family is treacherous.
Oh my gosh, wow!!! This book absolutely slayed me in all the best ways. This author is one of my all time favorites for fantasy romance, and Corin and Yesenia’s story did not disappoint! I loved all the politics that were happening in this novel, both in general and between the Quinlandens and the Warwicks. The world building was as exquisite as always, and the plot had me hooked from the very first page!
I also loved watching Yesenia and Corin’s relationship grow and change over the course of the novel. The development was absolutely amazing!!! Their chemistry was also beautifully written, you could tell there was something between them that was inevitable. There were moments where I laughed, moments where I cried, moments where I wanted to throw something... I loved everything about this book.
Yesenia. She’s bold and brilliant, and I loved that about her. I definitely want to be Yesenia Warwick when I grow up, simply because she doesn’t let anyone put her down and has a comeback for everything. She is so incredibly strong. Corin. I love him so much!!! He’s so tender hearted and kind, and I truly believe he feels things, deep in his soul. Go read this right now!!!
Yesenia carries her family’s hatred of the Quinlandens deep in her bones, but Corin is nothing like she expected. However, she can’t help but wonder if Corin’s kindness is a mask. As for Corin, he’s never really believed that someone he’s never met could be his enemy. He’s attracted to Yesenia, and while he knows better than to dream of a real marriage, he at least wants to try for a friendship. But Yesenia is stubborn, and Corin’s family is treacherous.
Oh my gosh, wow!!! This book absolutely slayed me in all the best ways. This author is one of my all time favorites for fantasy romance, and Corin and Yesenia’s story did not disappoint! I loved all the politics that were happening in this novel, both in general and between the Quinlandens and the Warwicks. The world building was as exquisite as always, and the plot had me hooked from the very first page!
I also loved watching Yesenia and Corin’s relationship grow and change over the course of the novel. The development was absolutely amazing!!! Their chemistry was also beautifully written, you could tell there was something between them that was inevitable. There were moments where I laughed, moments where I cried, moments where I wanted to throw something... I loved everything about this book.
Yesenia. She’s bold and brilliant, and I loved that about her. I definitely want to be Yesenia Warwick when I grow up, simply because she doesn’t let anyone put her down and has a comeback for everything. She is so incredibly strong. Corin. I love him so much!!! He’s so tender hearted and kind, and I truly believe he feels things, deep in his soul. Go read this right now!!!
April 26, 2022
Received this book as an ARC from Sarah in exchange for an honest review so here we go 💕
Rating: 4.75/5⭐️
Yesenia Warwick artfully dodges her father’s talks of marriage, set on proving she is just as capable as her brothers. Corin Quinlanden suffers under the cruel contempt of his ruthless father and brother as they scheme and plot from their palace on the trees. He has given up of having happiness and all she needs are kin, homeland and independence. But the king has other ideas to bring all the kingdom united, and the problem between an arranged marriage between these two? Oh well, everything the Quinlandens have “earned” was stolen from the Warwicks.
I feel that because of how popular enemies to lovers trope is, sometimes it’s very very hard to fully and truly get the real feeling of seeing a couple going from enemies to lovers and Sarah did it brilliantly! The Southerlands and the Easterlands have been enemies for a long time and when Yesenia and Corin find themselves in an arranged marriage with no option out, they must learn to overcome their differences to survive. It’s so delightful to see them slowly learning about each other and falling in love.
Corin is very gentle and kind, which is perfect for our fierce and powerful Yesenia. I felt that their differences was such a perfect balance for this couple and at the same time, you see them becoming more - Corin becomes powerful, assertive and very protective of Yesenia and in return, she is loyal and soft hearted for him.
As usual, Sarah’s writing is on point! All scenes are freshly detailed and an amazing world build-up. I also found the speed of the action throughout the story to be very consistent and fast enough to kept me hooked but slow enough to not feel overwhelming!
🌸 Post coming on the next 29th of April on my bookstagram (@maria_bookshelf)
Rating: 4.75/5⭐️
Yesenia Warwick artfully dodges her father’s talks of marriage, set on proving she is just as capable as her brothers. Corin Quinlanden suffers under the cruel contempt of his ruthless father and brother as they scheme and plot from their palace on the trees. He has given up of having happiness and all she needs are kin, homeland and independence. But the king has other ideas to bring all the kingdom united, and the problem between an arranged marriage between these two? Oh well, everything the Quinlandens have “earned” was stolen from the Warwicks.
I feel that because of how popular enemies to lovers trope is, sometimes it’s very very hard to fully and truly get the real feeling of seeing a couple going from enemies to lovers and Sarah did it brilliantly! The Southerlands and the Easterlands have been enemies for a long time and when Yesenia and Corin find themselves in an arranged marriage with no option out, they must learn to overcome their differences to survive. It’s so delightful to see them slowly learning about each other and falling in love.
Corin is very gentle and kind, which is perfect for our fierce and powerful Yesenia. I felt that their differences was such a perfect balance for this couple and at the same time, you see them becoming more - Corin becomes powerful, assertive and very protective of Yesenia and in return, she is loyal and soft hearted for him.
As usual, Sarah’s writing is on point! All scenes are freshly detailed and an amazing world build-up. I also found the speed of the action throughout the story to be very consistent and fast enough to kept me hooked but slow enough to not feel overwhelming!
🌸 Post coming on the next 29th of April on my bookstagram (@maria_bookshelf)
May 5, 2022
Sylvan and the Sand is book 2 in the Book of All things Series. Although this is a series, each book can be read as a standalone or you can read in order. Ether way you will love this series!
Book 2 follows Yesenia and Corin who live in different kingdoms. All of the different lands consider each other enemies. The King calls of a meeting of the Lords and forces several of the sons and daughters to become wed under his law. Yesenia hates Corin Quinlandon and will do anything to escape her marriage to him. What she doesn't expect is to be sent to live in enemy territory. Yesenia must survive on her own.....or does she. Can she trust Corin or will she have to do something drastic in order to make it home?
This book is so good. The amount of detail that Sarah cradit has put into this book is amazing. I love how strong and self reliant Yesenia is. She is able to take care of herself in a male dominated society. Corbin has been tormented by his family all his life. His story truly broke my heart. What I loved is that although Corin was treated terribly, he still has compassion for people.......even those who are considered enemies. Sarah has done an incredible job with these amazing books and I cannot wait to see where she takes us in the next installment. This book gets 5 stars.
Book 2 follows Yesenia and Corin who live in different kingdoms. All of the different lands consider each other enemies. The King calls of a meeting of the Lords and forces several of the sons and daughters to become wed under his law. Yesenia hates Corin Quinlandon and will do anything to escape her marriage to him. What she doesn't expect is to be sent to live in enemy territory. Yesenia must survive on her own.....or does she. Can she trust Corin or will she have to do something drastic in order to make it home?
This book is so good. The amount of detail that Sarah cradit has put into this book is amazing. I love how strong and self reliant Yesenia is. She is able to take care of herself in a male dominated society. Corbin has been tormented by his family all his life. His story truly broke my heart. What I loved is that although Corin was treated terribly, he still has compassion for people.......even those who are considered enemies. Sarah has done an incredible job with these amazing books and I cannot wait to see where she takes us in the next installment. This book gets 5 stars.
May 4, 2022
It’s 4.5⭐️ for me.
The pacing of a standalone story makes it or breaks it and here is perfect, thus making the story all the way more interesting. The story is abundantly explained wherever needed like when in the start everything from King to lords is given a detailed view. It moves pretty fast at many places and is then explained thoroughly on many occasions. The storyline is the main thing I adore after meeting the characters. Characters are written in mind-blowing space, each and every one has its own place and leaves an imprint to learn something from them. Corin and Yesenia are the main characters and their enemies to lovers vibe struck all the right cords of mind and heart. The world-building is pretty accurate and goes way well with the storyline. The start of the story is just skimming on the surface, a lot happens in the depth of it and many things take turns for good.
The pacing of a standalone story makes it or breaks it and here is perfect, thus making the story all the way more interesting. The story is abundantly explained wherever needed like when in the start everything from King to lords is given a detailed view. It moves pretty fast at many places and is then explained thoroughly on many occasions. The storyline is the main thing I adore after meeting the characters. Characters are written in mind-blowing space, each and every one has its own place and leaves an imprint to learn something from them. Corin and Yesenia are the main characters and their enemies to lovers vibe struck all the right cords of mind and heart. The world-building is pretty accurate and goes way well with the storyline. The start of the story is just skimming on the surface, a lot happens in the depth of it and many things take turns for good.
May 16, 2022
Amazing story, amazing world building and amazing characters. I enjoyed the other book in this series but this one took it to next level. You were FIGHTING for Corin and Yessenia to beat the odds. You wanted the bad guys to fail and to fall hard. This was so action packed that I couldn't put it down. This is was definitely one of those books that the last 40% flies by because you need to know what happens. Who lives and dies? I also enjoyed how the story didn't abruptly end when the main issue was resolved. The author also tied up a lot of other loose ends. This is part of a world series but also stand alone.
June 3, 2022
The Sylvan and the Sand is just stunning. The plot and characters were so well written and each scene vivid and beautiful.
May 16, 2022
i really enjoyed this book! i absolutely love the relationship dynamics between Yesenia and Corin! i always love a good enemies to lovers fantasy, but add in political intrigue, interesting side characters, and a badass fmc with weapons, and i’m all in. 4.5!
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