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Spiritchild
The beautifully imagined debut fantasy novel inspired by the likes of Lord of the Rings and Magician.
A young woman's yearning to become something more is brought to alarming fruition when she is pitted against the source of a malignant blight affecting the natural order of her world.
***
A broken god. A bleeding world. And the power within her to save it.
***
Beyond the veil, the spirit realm connects all living things together. The ocean to the sky. The rain to the ground. The air, and the trees.
But there is a darkness bleeding through the veil, tearing spiritlife out by the roots, leaving a lifeless void in its wake. The seasons have stopped turning, life withers where it should flourish, and vicious raiders prowl the lands.
And in the heart of the darkness, a mad, broken god crouches, playing puppet master with the human race.
Fae is a gifted healer, and the only human in the elven tree-city of Arolynos. Brought to Arolynos as a young orphan, she remembers nothing of her life beforehand, but she has felt the eyes of the spirits her whole life. Never before have they deigned to speak to her.
Until the day the trees scream.
The spirits are dying, and the world is dying with them.
Gifted with a seed of power by the spirits themselves, Fae is the only one who can save them.
She alone must venture into the darkness. To defeat a broken god.
Before the natural order collapses completely.
A young woman's yearning to become something more is brought to alarming fruition when she is pitted against the source of a malignant blight affecting the natural order of her world.
***
A broken god. A bleeding world. And the power within her to save it.
***
Beyond the veil, the spirit realm connects all living things together. The ocean to the sky. The rain to the ground. The air, and the trees.
But there is a darkness bleeding through the veil, tearing spiritlife out by the roots, leaving a lifeless void in its wake. The seasons have stopped turning, life withers where it should flourish, and vicious raiders prowl the lands.
And in the heart of the darkness, a mad, broken god crouches, playing puppet master with the human race.
Fae is a gifted healer, and the only human in the elven tree-city of Arolynos. Brought to Arolynos as a young orphan, she remembers nothing of her life beforehand, but she has felt the eyes of the spirits her whole life. Never before have they deigned to speak to her.
Until the day the trees scream.
The spirits are dying, and the world is dying with them.
Gifted with a seed of power by the spirits themselves, Fae is the only one who can save them.
She alone must venture into the darkness. To defeat a broken god.
Before the natural order collapses completely.
- GenresFantasy
564 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 13, 2023
This book was such a delight from start to finish. Spiritchild is a great read for those looking for something akin to classic fantasy tales; good vs evil, a mismatched group on a daring quest to bring light into the darkness that’s creeping into the world all too quickly.
It follows the story of Fae, a gifted healer who has been raised in the Elven forest of Arloynos. The spirit realm that connects the world they live in is slowly dying and nobody knows why, but it is affecting all the races across the world; dwarves, humans, elves, dragons and more.
The tone of this book and the easy flowing writing style were things I loved from the very beginning. It was just so relaxing and fun to read. That’s not to say that its a ‘rainbows and butterflies’ story all the time, far from it. There is plenty of drama, intrigue and a rollercoaster of emotions. But it’s all built up at the perfect pace and in a way that just comes to life effortlessly. Every time I sat down to read it was just so cosy and beautiful. I found myself really immersed in the setting of the story, and it just gave me that comfort read vibe all the way through.
The characters are are very likeable. It has multiple POV’s and the switch between them all is very easy to follow, and they round the story out very well. The author really captured each character’s own voice really well and balanced the story with character building moments perfectly. My favourite characters were Fae, Bek and Hal in particular.
The pace was not fast but I never really felt like it was too slow either. The world building was delivered really well too. There is one section where events from long ago, as in ‘myths and legends’ type long ago, come into the present day plot, and the way these bits were delivered in the narrative was perfectly done. Often I find this type of exposition can get messy or go into info dump territory, but this never happens here. The world is built up slowly but in a really immersive way. It doesn’t get as detailed as some other books can be in this regard, but the magic, atmosphere and imagery are all captured so well. I could picture everything so clearly in my mind.
I do feel there were some side characters who I would have liked to know more info about, and having more backstory on them would have made them stand out more for me. I didn’t dislike them, but I just wanted more. There were also one or two story beats that I felt left me wanting a bit more in terms of the feelings they got from me as I read them. There were a few moments that hit me so, so hard and had me feeling all of the emotions. And one or two others that perhaps were slightly more predictable or could have some room to grow. All in all though, these are minor improvements in an otherwise wonderful read.
The ending of the book was great and it’s definitely left open for lots of interesting things to come in book two, which I will be reading for sure.
This book will definitely be up there with my comfort reads, and I would recommend this to anyone who loves classic fantasy, quests, good vs evil, beautifully realised settings and character relationships that you definitely grow to love.
It follows the story of Fae, a gifted healer who has been raised in the Elven forest of Arloynos. The spirit realm that connects the world they live in is slowly dying and nobody knows why, but it is affecting all the races across the world; dwarves, humans, elves, dragons and more.
The tone of this book and the easy flowing writing style were things I loved from the very beginning. It was just so relaxing and fun to read. That’s not to say that its a ‘rainbows and butterflies’ story all the time, far from it. There is plenty of drama, intrigue and a rollercoaster of emotions. But it’s all built up at the perfect pace and in a way that just comes to life effortlessly. Every time I sat down to read it was just so cosy and beautiful. I found myself really immersed in the setting of the story, and it just gave me that comfort read vibe all the way through.
The characters are are very likeable. It has multiple POV’s and the switch between them all is very easy to follow, and they round the story out very well. The author really captured each character’s own voice really well and balanced the story with character building moments perfectly. My favourite characters were Fae, Bek and Hal in particular.
The pace was not fast but I never really felt like it was too slow either. The world building was delivered really well too. There is one section where events from long ago, as in ‘myths and legends’ type long ago, come into the present day plot, and the way these bits were delivered in the narrative was perfectly done. Often I find this type of exposition can get messy or go into info dump territory, but this never happens here. The world is built up slowly but in a really immersive way. It doesn’t get as detailed as some other books can be in this regard, but the magic, atmosphere and imagery are all captured so well. I could picture everything so clearly in my mind.
I do feel there were some side characters who I would have liked to know more info about, and having more backstory on them would have made them stand out more for me. I didn’t dislike them, but I just wanted more. There were also one or two story beats that I felt left me wanting a bit more in terms of the feelings they got from me as I read them. There were a few moments that hit me so, so hard and had me feeling all of the emotions. And one or two others that perhaps were slightly more predictable or could have some room to grow. All in all though, these are minor improvements in an otherwise wonderful read.
The ending of the book was great and it’s definitely left open for lots of interesting things to come in book two, which I will be reading for sure.
This book will definitely be up there with my comfort reads, and I would recommend this to anyone who loves classic fantasy, quests, good vs evil, beautifully realised settings and character relationships that you definitely grow to love.
April 17, 2026
🌟 3.5☆
📚 05/04/26 - 11/04/26
꧁𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔.꧂
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ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛᴄʜɪʟᴅ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡꜱ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴏꜰ ᴜɴʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ᴀʟʟɪᴇꜱ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ʙʏ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ’ʀᴇ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ, ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛ-ʟᴀᴅᴇɴ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇꜱᴛᴏʀᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀᴘꜱᴇ. ᴀꜱ ᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴꜱ ʀɪꜱᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇꜱ ʙᴇɢɪɴ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛɪʀ, ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀᴇꜱᴛꜱ, ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢʜᴏʟᴅꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴡɪɴɢ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ—ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ, ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.
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There are parts of this I really enjoyed, and other parts that were just OK, I’m a bit torn on it—but overall, I did enjoy it.
The world is probably the biggest highlight for me. It’s really richly imagined and has that moody, atmospheric feel that makes it easy to get lost in. You’ve got everything from Elven forests to Dwarven mountain cities, with mythic gods and spirit realms woven in, and the descriptions make it all really easy to picture. There were definitely moments where I felt properly immersed in it.
That said, it is quite a slow burn. There’s a lot of build-up and lore, which adds depth, but it did feel like it dragged a bit in places—especially earlier on. I kept wanting things to move a bit faster. The ending, though, is where it really picked up for me. Everything starts coming together and builds into a big, intense final battle that was much more engaging and held my attention a lot better.
The characters are another strong point. There are multiple POVs, but they’re easy to follow and each one feels distinct. I liked the found-family/rebellion dynamic—it gives the story a lot of heart alongside all the darker moments. My favourites were definitely Fae (who kind of felt like the quiet glue holding everything together) and Bek. I just found them the most interesting to read. I do wish we’d gotten more from Jessie and Max though—they felt like they had more to give, but didn’t quite get the space.
Overall, it’s a layered, character-driven fantasy with a lot going on. I liked the world, I liked the characters, and I really liked how it all came together at the end—it just took a while to get there.
𝑰’𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕, 𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅-𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝑶𝑽𝒔. 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈.
- ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ -
Starts at the beginning of spring time in fictional world of Arland. Although the season is part of the story, I feel it can be read at anytime.
TROPES
⫸ Fantasy
⫸ Found Family
⫸ Chosen One
⫸ Quest
⫸ Good Vs Evil
⫸ Multiple POV
⫸ 3rd Person
TWs
⫸ Violence
⫸ Death
⫸ Battle Scenes
⫸ Injury Detail
⫸ Fire
⫸ Emotional Distress
📚 05/04/26 - 11/04/26
꧁𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔.꧂
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ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛᴄʜɪʟᴅ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡꜱ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴏꜰ ᴜɴʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ᴀʟʟɪᴇꜱ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ʙʏ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ’ʀᴇ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ, ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛ-ʟᴀᴅᴇɴ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇꜱᴛᴏʀᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀᴘꜱᴇ. ᴀꜱ ᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴꜱ ʀɪꜱᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇꜱ ʙᴇɢɪɴ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛɪʀ, ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀᴇꜱᴛꜱ, ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢʜᴏʟᴅꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴡɪɴɢ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ—ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ, ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.
**************************************************
There are parts of this I really enjoyed, and other parts that were just OK, I’m a bit torn on it—but overall, I did enjoy it.
The world is probably the biggest highlight for me. It’s really richly imagined and has that moody, atmospheric feel that makes it easy to get lost in. You’ve got everything from Elven forests to Dwarven mountain cities, with mythic gods and spirit realms woven in, and the descriptions make it all really easy to picture. There were definitely moments where I felt properly immersed in it.
That said, it is quite a slow burn. There’s a lot of build-up and lore, which adds depth, but it did feel like it dragged a bit in places—especially earlier on. I kept wanting things to move a bit faster. The ending, though, is where it really picked up for me. Everything starts coming together and builds into a big, intense final battle that was much more engaging and held my attention a lot better.
The characters are another strong point. There are multiple POVs, but they’re easy to follow and each one feels distinct. I liked the found-family/rebellion dynamic—it gives the story a lot of heart alongside all the darker moments. My favourites were definitely Fae (who kind of felt like the quiet glue holding everything together) and Bek. I just found them the most interesting to read. I do wish we’d gotten more from Jessie and Max though—they felt like they had more to give, but didn’t quite get the space.
Overall, it’s a layered, character-driven fantasy with a lot going on. I liked the world, I liked the characters, and I really liked how it all came together at the end—it just took a while to get there.
𝑰’𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕, 𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅-𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝑶𝑽𝒔. 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈.
- ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ - ♡ -
Starts at the beginning of spring time in fictional world of Arland. Although the season is part of the story, I feel it can be read at anytime.
TROPES
⫸ Fantasy
⫸ Found Family
⫸ Chosen One
⫸ Quest
⫸ Good Vs Evil
⫸ Multiple POV
⫸ 3rd Person
TWs
⫸ Violence
⫸ Death
⫸ Battle Scenes
⫸ Injury Detail
⫸ Fire
⫸ Emotional Distress
September 17, 2022
If there was one word to describe this book... well, I would not be able to pick one because this book provided me with a lot of emotions and I could think of hundreds of words to describe it.
We follow a group of characters - all of whom I immensely loved and enjoyed - throughout their journey to save the world that they live in from dying. We get multiple POV's, which I usually do not enjoy, but are extremely important for the story to progress and give the reader a multi-view of what is happening as well as a variety of opinions which are all smoothly delivered so that there's no confusion for the reader.
The world-building within this book isn't as vast as some high-fantasy books but it's enough so that you feel as though you're apart of the world and, if you're a visual reader, you can see the world through the authors beautiful depictions of it - even the darker parts. I thought that it was beautiful. It gave me such whimiscal and fantastical vibes that I was loathe to put it down.
The pace of the book was soothing, not too fast or too slow and I believed there was a good amount of action, information, discovery, etc. in the book which allowed the reader to sink in and really get to grips with the world of Arland. I am also not one for chapter names, usually, but I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the chapter names throughout the book and it just made the experience all the more satisfying.
There's little romance in this book however I loved all of the character's interactions with one another and the notions of things to come in potential sequels to this book. All of the characters were beautifully portrayed with backstories to match and they felt like real genuine people that you'd meet in a tavern on a stormy night and have a good conversation with. There wasn't any characters I disliked at all and I enjoyed watching their stories pan out amongst the pages.
Overall, the book had me very emotional at points (I grew very attached to some of the characters) and I am very excited to see where the next book, Earthchild, will take me. Spiritchild definitely leaves everything to the imagination and gives only snippets away of where the reader could possibly be journeying to next.
We follow a group of characters - all of whom I immensely loved and enjoyed - throughout their journey to save the world that they live in from dying. We get multiple POV's, which I usually do not enjoy, but are extremely important for the story to progress and give the reader a multi-view of what is happening as well as a variety of opinions which are all smoothly delivered so that there's no confusion for the reader.
The world-building within this book isn't as vast as some high-fantasy books but it's enough so that you feel as though you're apart of the world and, if you're a visual reader, you can see the world through the authors beautiful depictions of it - even the darker parts. I thought that it was beautiful. It gave me such whimiscal and fantastical vibes that I was loathe to put it down.
The pace of the book was soothing, not too fast or too slow and I believed there was a good amount of action, information, discovery, etc. in the book which allowed the reader to sink in and really get to grips with the world of Arland. I am also not one for chapter names, usually, but I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the chapter names throughout the book and it just made the experience all the more satisfying.
There's little romance in this book however I loved all of the character's interactions with one another and the notions of things to come in potential sequels to this book. All of the characters were beautifully portrayed with backstories to match and they felt like real genuine people that you'd meet in a tavern on a stormy night and have a good conversation with. There wasn't any characters I disliked at all and I enjoyed watching their stories pan out amongst the pages.
Overall, the book had me very emotional at points (I grew very attached to some of the characters) and I am very excited to see where the next book, Earthchild, will take me. Spiritchild definitely leaves everything to the imagination and gives only snippets away of where the reader could possibly be journeying to next.
January 26, 2023
What I would give to live in the magical world of Arolynos… Wow what a book 😍
The book follows Fae and some friends who are on a journey to try and save their home from dying. We get multiple POVs from the different groups as they travel across the lands to get to the bottom of what is causing the demise of the world.
I can really see this being a comfort read that I return to (mainly due to how loveable the characters are). The pacing of the book is just beautiful - not too slow, not too fast. There were no points where I felt like the content was “filler”, it all felt relevant to the plot.
It’s written exceptionally well, it’s easy to follow (even in scenes with lots going on) and I didn’t find myself having to go back and reread a couple of pages to wrap my head around anything which was great!
The world building was magical - reading this whilst listening to a forest playlist made for some super cozy evenings. It’s written in such a way that you can really picture what all of the areas/scenes look like.
There were cute little hints at a potential romance between two of the characters every now and again throughout the book which was sweet. I’m interested to see where this goes in book two.
I’ve already ordered the second book in the series (Earthchild) and I can’t wait to add it to the TBR jar!
I totally recommend this book! It’s a great “true” fantasy book that will leave you feeling magical ✨
The book follows Fae and some friends who are on a journey to try and save their home from dying. We get multiple POVs from the different groups as they travel across the lands to get to the bottom of what is causing the demise of the world.
I can really see this being a comfort read that I return to (mainly due to how loveable the characters are). The pacing of the book is just beautiful - not too slow, not too fast. There were no points where I felt like the content was “filler”, it all felt relevant to the plot.
It’s written exceptionally well, it’s easy to follow (even in scenes with lots going on) and I didn’t find myself having to go back and reread a couple of pages to wrap my head around anything which was great!
The world building was magical - reading this whilst listening to a forest playlist made for some super cozy evenings. It’s written in such a way that you can really picture what all of the areas/scenes look like.
There were cute little hints at a potential romance between two of the characters every now and again throughout the book which was sweet. I’m interested to see where this goes in book two.
I’ve already ordered the second book in the series (Earthchild) and I can’t wait to add it to the TBR jar!
I totally recommend this book! It’s a great “true” fantasy book that will leave you feeling magical ✨
May 19, 2022
4.5⭐️ This fantasy book was so fresh and took my imagination to its limits! The world building was stunning and I feel envious of the characters that get to live in Arolynos.
I became very invested in the main characters as they are very likable, Fae the main protagonist is very strong willed and yet is on a journey of discovery in Spiritchild. The side characters were also great additions and super fun to get to know. You see each character on their own journey and seeing them all find their way through the book was truly unique and magical. The fight scenes were some of the best I've read in recent years as they were detailed yet not overwhelming and so accurate. There were some hints of romance which I hope we will get to see more of in Book 2! This was truly a great fantasy and adventure of a book.
I became very invested in the main characters as they are very likable, Fae the main protagonist is very strong willed and yet is on a journey of discovery in Spiritchild. The side characters were also great additions and super fun to get to know. You see each character on their own journey and seeing them all find their way through the book was truly unique and magical. The fight scenes were some of the best I've read in recent years as they were detailed yet not overwhelming and so accurate. There were some hints of romance which I hope we will get to see more of in Book 2! This was truly a great fantasy and adventure of a book.
July 10, 2022
Danielle’s debut novel follows a healer name Fae, who longs to be more. Fae is a human ‘Spiritchild’.
After Fae experiences a vision from the aethyr and is gifted with a seed of power, Fae must fulfil her quest in saving Arland from a broken god with her found family by her side.
Spiritchild is a beautifully breathtaking adventurous story. Danielles flow of words paints a vibrant Fairytale-like atmosphere filled with graceful forests and majestic landscapes.
If you loved LOTR you will love Spiritchild as it has the influence of Tolkiens spirit throughout.
Eah waits for you… 🌿🌿🌿
After Fae experiences a vision from the aethyr and is gifted with a seed of power, Fae must fulfil her quest in saving Arland from a broken god with her found family by her side.
Spiritchild is a beautifully breathtaking adventurous story. Danielles flow of words paints a vibrant Fairytale-like atmosphere filled with graceful forests and majestic landscapes.
If you loved LOTR you will love Spiritchild as it has the influence of Tolkiens spirit throughout.
Eah waits for you… 🌿🌿🌿
April 6, 2022
Loved reading Spiritchild, a fantasy masterpiece deserving to sit alongside classics within its genre.
I found all of the characters compelling and loved the dialogue and dynamics between the characters. The book itself looks and feels stunning. The story it holds is just as impressive.
Would definitely recommend.
I found all of the characters compelling and loved the dialogue and dynamics between the characters. The book itself looks and feels stunning. The story it holds is just as impressive.
Would definitely recommend.
July 10, 2025
DNF at 36%
I like the worldbuilding a lot but these characters are not behaving like real people and it's getting cringey. It's an indie debut and I can really tell, unfortunately. Also I can't take an elf named TY seriously. I really wanted to like this though.
I like the worldbuilding a lot but these characters are not behaving like real people and it's getting cringey. It's an indie debut and I can really tell, unfortunately. Also I can't take an elf named TY seriously. I really wanted to like this though.
March 31, 2022
Full review to come!
November 30, 2022
“Even the moons cannot stop the sun crossing the sky.”
Rating: 4.2 ⭐️/ 5 ⭐️
The book is about a young woman who is a gifted healer and who believed she was an elf as she grew up with Elves, but apart of her felt she was something more. She has always felt the spirits but no one believed her. As her background unravels, we get to learn that the fantasy world of Arland is dying because the spirits are also dying.
This is a long debut novel but nevertheless it was worth it. The imagery of the world and immersion were compelling. As the story unfolds, we meet more characters of different races and personalities and it was not hard to enjoy all their interactions with each other.
As soon as I reached the end of Part 1, my jaw literally dropped because of a sudden twist.
I particularly enjoyed Part 2 because of the explanation of the spirits and the backstory. I liked that it was not rushed and I was satisfied with the information I got. The book finishes with Part 3 and the action in it was awesome and the resolution oddly satisfying.
If you are looking for a fast paced book then this book certainly is not. This is rather a storytelling of an epic adventure of a group of strangers turned allies then to friends, in a quest to fight evil, in which you will be very much a part of, because of the vivid descriptions of the setting and atmosphere.
This book reminds me of The Lord of The Rings/Hobbit with a delicate incorporation of a godly realm where my fantasy brain couldn’t even fathom (in a positive way).
Rating: 4.2 ⭐️/ 5 ⭐️
The book is about a young woman who is a gifted healer and who believed she was an elf as she grew up with Elves, but apart of her felt she was something more. She has always felt the spirits but no one believed her. As her background unravels, we get to learn that the fantasy world of Arland is dying because the spirits are also dying.
This is a long debut novel but nevertheless it was worth it. The imagery of the world and immersion were compelling. As the story unfolds, we meet more characters of different races and personalities and it was not hard to enjoy all their interactions with each other.
As soon as I reached the end of Part 1, my jaw literally dropped because of a sudden twist.
I particularly enjoyed Part 2 because of the explanation of the spirits and the backstory. I liked that it was not rushed and I was satisfied with the information I got. The book finishes with Part 3 and the action in it was awesome and the resolution oddly satisfying.
If you are looking for a fast paced book then this book certainly is not. This is rather a storytelling of an epic adventure of a group of strangers turned allies then to friends, in a quest to fight evil, in which you will be very much a part of, because of the vivid descriptions of the setting and atmosphere.
This book reminds me of The Lord of The Rings/Hobbit with a delicate incorporation of a godly realm where my fantasy brain couldn’t even fathom (in a positive way).
February 23, 2023
I wasn't sure what to expect going in to Spiritchild, but what I got was a good vs evil, light vs shadow fantasy quest stretching from the Elven forest of Arolynos to the Eastern mountain city of the Dwarves.
In a world filled with different fantasy races the spirit realm which connects everything is dying, and it's up to our main protagonist Fae to do something about it. Teaming up with Rangers and Dwarves and Dragons amongst others, her path will lead from the fading safety of the elven realms to the heart of the growing darkness, spreading from the human cities.
I thought the story and the characters were really well developed, and the pacing was spot on. From a gradual build up near the start of the book the pace keeps on stepping up right until the conclusion which does a great job of drawing you in.
The story can get a little dark at times which I think is key for a good fantasy novel, and the underlying "magic system" is a nice change from what I've seen before.
I can't quite put my finger on why it loses a star, it's purely that in my heart I can't give Spiritchild the same rating as something like The Hobbit. I cannot wait to read Earthchild though and see how it compares to this first installment!
In a world filled with different fantasy races the spirit realm which connects everything is dying, and it's up to our main protagonist Fae to do something about it. Teaming up with Rangers and Dwarves and Dragons amongst others, her path will lead from the fading safety of the elven realms to the heart of the growing darkness, spreading from the human cities.
I thought the story and the characters were really well developed, and the pacing was spot on. From a gradual build up near the start of the book the pace keeps on stepping up right until the conclusion which does a great job of drawing you in.
The story can get a little dark at times which I think is key for a good fantasy novel, and the underlying "magic system" is a nice change from what I've seen before.
I can't quite put my finger on why it loses a star, it's purely that in my heart I can't give Spiritchild the same rating as something like The Hobbit. I cannot wait to read Earthchild though and see how it compares to this first installment!
June 14, 2022
Love the cover, love the world building, love the characters and the story!
Would definitely recommend, and I look forward to being able to pick book two up.
Would definitely recommend, and I look forward to being able to pick book two up.
September 22, 2023
The sheer fact that this is a debut novel baffles me, how can someone write something so bloody beautiful first time?
World building is perfection and this story is beautifully crafted. With a genre that cannot be utterly confined in high fantasy and gives a warm caress to the spiritual science fiction. Anyone who loves LOTR, The Witchlands by Susan Dennard and The Graceling series by Kristin Cashore will find themselves slipping comfortably back into a warm armchair ready for an epic adventure that promises a smidge of romance but also plenty of fun, fighting and found family.
You will not regret reading this and trust me when I say the sequel is a banger too
World building is perfection and this story is beautifully crafted. With a genre that cannot be utterly confined in high fantasy and gives a warm caress to the spiritual science fiction. Anyone who loves LOTR, The Witchlands by Susan Dennard and The Graceling series by Kristin Cashore will find themselves slipping comfortably back into a warm armchair ready for an epic adventure that promises a smidge of romance but also plenty of fun, fighting and found family.
You will not regret reading this and trust me when I say the sequel is a banger too
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